In the rural municipality of Ermera in Timor-Leste, teachers play a vital role in improving community wellbeing. One of those educators is Jose, who teaches Natural Physical Sciences and Health while raising his family of six children. His commitment to supporting young people has grown even stronger since completing a 15-day health literacy training delivered by Mary MacKillop Today.
The program covered essential health topics including eye health, nutrition, environmental health, reproductive health, skin health and disease prevention. Jose says the training deepened his understanding of how the human body works and strengthened his confidence to teach health more effectively. He noted that lessons on mosquito-borne diseases encouraged both teachers and students to think carefully about prevention at home.
Nutrition was another topic that resonated strongly. Ermera is a rural region, and families have access to a wide range of traditional foods. The training highlighted the nutritional value of these local ingredients and encouraged teachers to promote them as healthy and chemical free options. Jose is already sharing this message with his students and their families.
Importantly, the training is aligned with the national curriculum through the Ministry of Education, ensuring that teachers can apply the content directly in their classrooms.Mary MacKillop Today also provides practical resources when needed. Jose’s school recently received waste management support, including new rubbish bins that helped improve hygiene and environmental health.
Jose describes the training as highly beneficial and is grateful for the continued support from donors. Teachers like him are creating healthier and more informed communities by equipping students with knowledge that can shape their futures.
The Health Literacy project receives support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
