Be amazed by the power of literacy
In many disadvantaged areas of Timor-Leste, schools are badly under-resourced, and literacy levels are very low. Teachers struggle to meet the needs of their classes without… …essential tools and resources. Parents need support to lift their children out of the cycle of poverty. With little education themselves, giving their children the chance to discover and learn is a huge challenge. Most concerning is children dropping out of their studies early to help their families make ends meet. Children continue to miss out on vital opportunities for learning and enrichment.Rural areas that are difficult to access due to poor road conditions struggle to build a better future for themselves.With support from generous people like you, we work to combat poverty through literacy and education. By acting today, we face these hardships together. We walk with the families of Timor-Leste and work hard to build a bright future.Saint Mary MacKillop herself was determined to use education to overcome poverty and prejudice in her own lifetime, and we continue to build on Mary’s extraordinary legacy. We meet every challenge to help people create better life opportunities – for today and tomorrow.Let’s work together to continue Saint Mary MacKillop’s legacy of providing access to quality education, as a proven way to help break the cycle of poverty. 
Why Timor-Leste needs you
It’s never been more urgent to help the people of Timor-Leste to help themselves. Timor-Leste is one of Australia’s closest neighbours, yet many children and families live with scarcity and hardship. In the past, parents seldom had access to education, teachers had no adequate training, and hardship was passed down through generations. Mary MacKillop worked tirelessly towards providing education for all. To her, all children should have opportunities to learn regardless of their background.The Sisters of Saint Joseph produced and smuggled books in Tetun during the occupation to educate the children. It’s only since independence in 2002 that the Timorese children have been able to learn in their own language in all schools. Twenty years later, we still help produce books in Tetun that are tied to the national curriculum, written and illustrated by local communities.And it’s not just the children who’ve benefited from formal learning. Teacher training has been key to improving the quality of education in Timor-Leste. This training involves one to one mentoring and in-class observation. Teachers learn classroom management, teaching methodology and understanding of child protection.Our Livelihoods Project also educates adults, particularly women, to become self-reliant business owners through literacy, numeracy, business management and negotiation training.Please act now so we can deliver educational programs to some of the most marginalised communities in some of the hardest to reach areas of Timor-Leste.
Hear from Alipio in Timor-Leste
As Mary MacKillop Today’s country director for Timor-Leste, I get to be part of something transformational — providing the gift of literacy to our children and their parents on your behalf. Your support for learning is critical to empower my people of Timor-Leste to rise up and flourish despite experiencing hardships. In Timor-Leste, our literacy program has been life-changing — especially for those living in rural and remote areas, like the community I grew up in.It’s wonderful to see our Mobile Learning Centre reaching the most inaccessible communities, so no children miss out. When the colourful bus arrives, children race to be the first in line to explore our library of books, activities, tablets, and videos, mostly in our local language, Tetun.As a former teacher, I know how powerful the wonder of learning is. And it breaks my heart to see how difficult it is for many children in Timor-Leste to access quality education.I already see how support from people like you helps our most marginalised children flourish through education — but there’s still so much more we need to do!Without your generosity, many children and families, especially in rural areas, would have little or no access to quality education.Join with us to keep Mary’s legacy alive by ensuring our vital Learning for Life education programs can help create a better tomorrow.Alipio BaltazarCountry Director in Timor-Leste
Rafaela can now read and write because of you!
When Rafaela in Timor-Leste was younger, she didn’t feel motivated to learn how to read… and she quickly began to fall behind. With the help of generous supporters, Mary MacKillop Today gave Rafaela’s school storybooks with colourful, attractive art drawings and big print. Students could even take the books home to ask their parents to continue teaching them – and in turn, the books teach parents too.Rafaela shared, “When I was in grade 1, all the teachers did was read in front of the class. When I moved to grades 2 and 3, suddenly there were loads of different books to read, colourful with drawings and in big print. I began to read and tell stories every day and write them in class… it’s helped change my life and our school. I’ve now learned to dance, sing and to read to other students.”In an incredible transformation, Rafaela became excited and motivated to read stories. She became a keen storyteller in her class! And best of all, she is now on her way to breaking her family’s cycle of poverty.Too many girls like Rafaela remain trapped in the cycle of poverty because they can’t access education.Let’s achieve and deliver the transformative power of education to more children like Rafaela.
“God loves generous souls. Let us try to be the generous ones…”
— Saint Mary MacKillopThis Christmas, your generosity has the power to
change the future for people in Timor-Leste and
keep Saint Mary MacKillop’s crucial legacy alive.
change the future for people in Timor-Leste and
keep Saint Mary MacKillop’s crucial legacy alive.
