etwa

Timor Projects Update, May 2010

Consultations, Fuat village, Iliomar April 2010

When the three weaving collectives were formed in 2007, their first formal request was for ETWA to support the construction of buildings to enable members to work together. Since then, we’ve worked to raise funds and develop partnerships for materials and solar panels. Rotary came on board in early 2009 and will fund steel materials from East Timor Roofing and provide a small amount of cash. The Alternative Technology Association along with the Victorian Women’s Trust, are helping us source and fund solar panels. Architects for Peace helped us find innovative architects who developed creative, distinct and functional designs for weaving centres, which were presented to the communities during our recent trip in April. All this and the AVI position due to start at the end of June will (hopefully) ensure that construction can begin in Iliomar in September/ October this year.

Whilst in Timor-Leste, we met with two Dili-based architects and Norm from the Rotary supported East Timor Roofing Project. As the ETWA project team have little experience in the world of construction, advice and continued support from these guys is critical. The presentation of the designs for the weaving centres in Iliomar was a great success, with the two groups each selecting different designs. Conversations around the flexibility and functionality of the buildings and their relationship to the land and environment were sparked by the detail and specifications in the designs. The outcome is fabulous and is another building block towards sustainability for the Cooperative.

During our trip we also ran a facilitated workshop which each of the weaving groups to generate data for the Cooperative’s Constitution. A criteria of the AVI position is that the Coop must be registered with local authorities. Although the three weaving collectives committed to working together under the banner of one group back in 2008, the Cooperative needed a Constitution and other documents in order to register. With an enormous amount of help and support from Maleve de Oliveira and drawing on Permaculture principles, we developed a facilitation methodology in which a large tree is a metaphor for the Cooperative. One side of the tree is green representing a living, thriving group, and the other side black representing a lifeless, dysfunctional group. The roots of the tree are the members and their actions; the trunk represents the group and the leaves on the living side of the tree are the benefits, outcomes and opportunities created by the strength of the members. The bare branches on the lifeless side of the tree represent a weak, non-cooperative membership. The significance was strong group-strong tree.

Before the meetings with each group, we identified potential strengths and weaknesses as a beginning point for discussion. We prepared coloured paper in the shape of roots, leaves and fire and wrote positive concepts on the green roots and leaves, and negative concepts on the red roots and fire.  Once the overall ‘tree’ metaphor was explored, the women placed the coloured paper shapes on the tree according to their understanding and the notions were discussed at length collectively. The end result was an increased understanding of what is required to make the groups and the Cooperative strong. Each group then selected one woman to be their representative on the Cooperative Board and the tree method was used again during three days of training with these nine women. On the third day, we drafted the Constitution drawing on the principles of Fulidai-dai- through which everything flows- conversations over the previous days, the wisdom of the female elders present and our understanding of the legal system.

The Cooperative now has a poetic and compelling Constitution, a logo, a motto and a new name (very similar to the old but with one important inclusion) … the Cooperative for Tais, Culture and Sustainable Development (CTKDS); ‘building sustainable development through the hands of women’.

Immense appreciation is extended to all those who participated in the project, particularly to Edith from Architects for Peace for her tireless work and dedication over the past two years. To the designers, Andrea Damarell, Tony and Romy Kesminas, Mariana Millares and Iona Dierich we extend many sincere thanks on behalf of the women weavers in Iliomar. These centres will be life changing spaces for these women and will support sustainable development for them, their families and communities for generations to come. Thanks is also extended to Nick Stephenson, Peter Clements, Bob Glindemann, the ATA and ETWA members for their time and support.

Many thanks also to Jose Texeira for the use of his car and a place to stay in Dili.  Thanks also to Juvi for his expert driving, sense of humour and energy, which saved and entertained us on more than one occasion.  Massive thanks to Maleve for his facilitation, insight, passion for community development, guidance, continuing support and particularly for his friendship with ETWA.