Cyclone appeal helping Timor-Leste friends

BALLARAT Ryder-Cheshire is asking the city to “step up and support our near neighbours.”

Following Easter’s Cyclone Seroja, Timor-Leste has received catastrophic flooding and landslides, killing at least 27 people.

President of Ballarat Ryder-Cheshire Dianne McGrath said much of damage was in the capital Dili, and the mountainous municipality of Ainaro, which the City of Ballarat has a friendship agreement with.

Just west of Dili is Ryder-Cheshire Australia’s health facility, Klibur Domin, which translates to ‘sharing with love’ in Tetum.

“Although damage to the facility is not so severe, many homes of the Klibur Domin staff, patients and families, as well as the surrounding community of Tibar have been severely affected and need help,” she said.

“Ryder-Cheshire has now launched an appeal to assist Klibur Domin and the community of Tibar to recover from the devastating floods.

“The clean-up has begun. There is much to do, and our Timorese neighbours need assistance to rebuild their lives and to keep safe and healthy in the aftermath of the floods, plus the COVD-19 outbreaks.”

Klibur Domin director Joaquim Soares is grateful to the community for keeping Timor-Leste in mind.

“We are having difficulty accessing internet. There is no electricity,” he said. “I went to Klibur Domin… the Tibar community and other organisations surrounding Klibur Domin are affected very badly by the floods.

“It would be great if our Australian friends could provide some help.”

Ballarat Friends of Ainaro Community Committee, Teachers for Timor, Ballarat-Ainaro Health Group, Damascus College, Ballarat Grammar School, and the Sisters of Mercy are also local supporters of Timor-Leste.

Ryder-Cheshire’s mission is to relieve suffering without any discrimination. Visit ryder-cheshire.org to support the appeal.