LocationsImproving lives through access to clean water and resilient infrastructure in rural Timor-Leste.
Water brings Changes: A progress story from Sabulau, Liquiça
May 26, 2025
This is the location of the spring where water is sourced and channeled to the community of Sabulau, Liquiçá Municipality
Julio Guterres/UNDP Timor-Leste
Water is a source of life - an essential element that sustains all living beings, particularly human beings. Yet, for many rural communities in Timor-Leste, access to this basic need remains a daily challenge. Geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and long distances make it difficult for people to access clean and safe water for drinking, hygiene, farming, and raising livestock.
This reality is especially present in Aldeia Sabulau, located in Suco Vatuboro, within the Maubara Administrative Post of Liquiçá Municipality. With a population of 339 residents (2022 Census, National Statistics Directorate), most families here rely on subsistence agriculture to survive - making water access critical not just for daily needs but for their very livelihoods.
A map illustrating the water canalization system in Aldeia Sabulau, Suco Vatuboro, Maubara Administrative Post, Liquiçá Municipality. Home to 339 residents, this rural community relies heavily on subsistence agriculture, making access to clean water vital for their daily needs and livelihoods.
A Project Responding to Real Needs
To address these challenges, in 2025, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Community Infrastructure for Resilience Project (CIREP) and with financial support from the Government of Japan, initiated infrastructure works in Liquiçá and three other municipalities - Bobonaro, Ermera, and RAEOA - covering a total of nine sucos across the four municipalities. The project involves the construction of 46 community infrastructures, in which 11 constructions are underway in 2025, including water supply systems, public latrines, bridges, gabion walls, rainwater harvesting system, community center and maternity health center, to improve access to essential services and climate-resilience of infrastructure that help communities overcome long-standing barriers. These works aim to support communities in reaching vital services such as education, healthcare, and markets, while also reinforcing the role of local people in building solutions that matter to them.
Local Participation and Early Impact
An important part of the CIREP project is its focus on community participation. Through a Community Employment Scheme (CES) approach, community members have been actively engaged in early construction-related activities. As of May 2025, a total of 1064 people in 11 communities, of which 50 % are women, were involved in site preparation tasks such as clearing construction areas, and 11 youth were recruited as interns by the construction firm as part of on-the-job training supported by the CIREP project. These jobs have not only provided short-term income but also given participants technical training, safety equipment, and hands-on experience, helping strengthen the foundation for long-term skills development and ownership.
A concrete water tank built near the spring serves as a storage system to collect and hold clean water before it is distributed to households in the village through a piped network.
Julio Guterres/ UNDP Timor-Leste
A New Water System Changing Lives
One of the first visible outcomes of the project in Sabulau is the installation of a new water supply system. Previously, residents had to walk through a rough mountainous trail to collect water from a central source that was often overcrowded and insufficient in volume to meet their daily needs.
Today, thanks to the new system being installed under the CIREP project, water is now piped from a reservoir located over 530 meters away and directed into the heart of the community. While the infrastructure is still being finalized, the impact is already being felt by families who now spend less time collecting water and more time focusing on other priorities.
Mrs. Lucia da Silva, a mother of six children from Aldeia Sabulau, collects water from a communal tap near her home.
Julio Guterres/ UNDP Timor-Leste
Quality, Safety, and Inclusion
To ensure the construction work is safe and durable, UNDP technical teams, including engineers, carry out ongoing monitoring and site inspections. These include checking quality standards, ensuring compliance with the national environmental law, risk management protocols, and the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). Communication between workers and supervisors is constant to ensure smooth progress and safety in the field.
The project also places strong emphasis on gender equality and inclusive participation. All workers - men and women alike - receive equal opportunity, protective gear, and fair treatment. By doing so, the project not only builds infrastructure but also strengthens community resilience through inclusive and safe working environments.
The CIREP technical team, including the project engineer, conducts a site monitoring visit to supervise the construction process and ensure that all works meet the required quality standards.
Julio Guterres/ UNDP Timor-Leste
Looking Ahead: A Project Still in Progress
While the 11 construction works are scheduled for completion by August 2025, communities like Sabulau are already seeing meaningful improvements. Access to water is no longer a daily struggle, and local participation is building pride and experience that will last far beyond the project’s end. A total of 41,375 individuals (50% women), including 9,812 households, will benefit from the 11 constructions.
As work continues in Liquiçá, Bobonaro, Ermera, and RAEOA, the CIREP project funded by the Government of Japan remains committed to placing people at the center of development - ensuring that the infrastructure being built reflects the real needs and hopes of the communities it serves.
“The journey isn’t finished yet - but progress is already flowing.”
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