EU Ambassador Visits Covalima to Witness Impact of POWER and EARTH Projects
The delegation visited Ogues Village (Maucatar Administrative Post), Tazhilin Village (Zumalai Administrative Post), and Lalawa Village (Tilomar Administrative Post), where they engaged with local authorities, community members, and project beneficiaries to review achievements and discuss ongoing efforts to foster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development.
The EARTH and POWER projects, funded by the European Union and implemented by World Vision Timor-Leste in partnership with local stakeholders, are catalyzing meaningful transformation in rural communities across the country. The EARTH Project focuses on bolstering food and income security by promoting climate-resilient agroforestry and sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed among women, youth, and vulnerable groups. Meanwhile, the POWER Project is dedicated to empowering women and marginalized communities by strengthening their economic decision-making capacities, expanding livelihood opportunities, and fostering financial resilience—thereby enabling them to make significant contributions to both family and community development.
During recent field visits, a delegation observed the tangible impacts of these initiatives firsthand, including improved livelihoods through sustainable farming and income-generating activities, greater gender equality with women playing a more active role in economic decisions, and enhanced community resilience against climate and economic challenges. These projects collectively demonstrate how targeted interventions can drive lasting positive change in some of Timor-Leste’s most underserved regions.
Ambassador Thorsten Bargfrede shared his observations: "I commend the local authorities for their steadfast support and the community members for their collective efforts. The progress achieved over the past two to three years is truly inspiring and these initiatives are making a real difference in people’s lives."
Humbelino Pereira, Acting National Director of World Vision Timor-Leste, expressed gratitude for the EU’s partnership: “The success stories shared by community members demonstrate the positive results of project implementation. We are very grateful to the European Union for its continued support, which has enabled us to see tangible changes in the lives of communities.”
The visit underscored the importance of continued collaboration between development partners, government bodies, and local communities to ensure long-term sustainability beyond the projects’ duration.
Through EARTH and POWER, the European Union and World Vision Timor-Leste reaffirm their dedication to supporting vulnerable communities in Covalima, fostering resilient households, sustainable livelihoods, women’s empowerment, and inclusive growth.
WV26