WaterAid has worked in Timor-Leste since 2005 helping the country's poorest people gain access to safe, sustainable water supplies and sanitation.  Along with our other country program in the Pacific Region, Papua New Guinea, the progam is managed by WaterAid Australia. 

Throughout its 25 year independence struggle, much of Timor-Leste's infrastructure, including irrigation and water supply systems, was destroyed. 

The climate is characterized by extreme conditions with little or no rain falling in the north of the island for almost eight months of the year.  When the rains finally come they bring large-scale flooding which washes pollution into the waterways.  Because of this water quality is often poor, particularly in cities.

Timor–Leste is one of the poorest countries in Asia and justifies WaterAid Australia’s decision to choose Timor-Leste as its first country for the development of a long term Country Program.

Low water and sanitation coverage in the country mean that water related diseases exact a heavy toll on the people of Timor-Leste and gives great impetus to our continued work there.

Despite disruption due to political instability, WaterAid has been able to consolidate and develop the program in Timor-Leste. By the end of 2007 WaterAid had a fully functioning office in Dili comprising nine dedicated staff members working in close partnership with local organizations and communities in the districts of Aileu and Liquica.

WaterAid's achievements to date

• WaterAid has been successful in introducing the Community-Led Total Sanitation approach to Timor-Leste.
• Gravity flow water projects have delivered clean, safe water to thousands of people in remote, rural areas. 
  

In Aileu, WaterAid works in partnership with Plan Timor-Leste and local partners to  implement village water supplies, sanitation and  hygiene education projects. Projects in three villages were completed in 2007 and a further four are in progress.

WaterAid Australia’s primary contribution to the Aileu program is the provision of an experienced water and sanitation engineer, whilst Plan provides other inputs such as pipes, taps and cement.  In Liquica, WaterAid is working directly with local partners HTL and NTF in five villages.

Water systems involve capping mountain springs and piping them to community tapstands in the villages. Through hygiene education the importance of household latrines is highlighted and a range of simple latrine options are presented to villagers.

In November 2007 WaterAid trialed Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) in three villages in Liquica district. This innovative educative tool is designed to encourage people  to understand the importance of sanitation and thereby stimulate community-led demand for latrines. 

This overcomes one of the issues that sanitation provision faces – that in the past many toilets that have been built are unused by the community.  The methodology uses a “no subsidy” approach and has been highly successful in a number of other countries in Asia although this is the first time it has been introduced in Timor-Leste.

The trial was followed up with a workshop in Dili where WaterAid and Plan brought experienced trainers from Indonesia and Bangladesh to share their experiences with government and NGO staff in Timor-Leste.

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