Mary MacKillop Today is launching a new livelihoods initiative in Timor-Leste, the Sustainable Agriculture and Women’s Empowerment (SAWE) Project, working across four villages in Railaco, Ermera Municipality, and building on more than a decade of learning from our earlier vanilla and women’s livelihoods work.
Baseline research revealed a clear picture: many households rely heavily on coffee for income, while women often carry the bulk of unpaid care work and earn less than men. Yet there is strong appetite for change, particularly through savings and loans groups, which offer women a practical first step toward financial independence.
SAWE aims to strengthen household financial resilience and diversify livelihoods through a multi-sectoral approach, combining savings and loans, agriculture and horticulture, value-add activities, and inclusive, community-managed cooperatives.
By diversifying income sources and strengthening local governance, the project aims to build lasting financial resilience, especially for women, in the face of poverty and climate challenges.
