Building Resilient Communities and Creating Opportunities in Maubara

Empowering Communities Through Local Action and Inclusive Development

April 20, 2025

A speaker addresses a large group of attendees wearing orange hard hats and reflective vests outdoors. — UNDP team conducts a pre-activity briefing with local residents in Sabulau and Vaviquina, Maubara, as part of the community employment initiative to rehabilitate public spaces under the CIReP project.

Ayumi Kimura/ UNDP Timor-Leste

UNDP’s community infrastructure for resilience project (CIReP),with generous financial support from the government of Japan, is making meaningful impact across Timor-Leste -- starting with Sub district, Maubara- Liquica Municipality.

Recently, 200 local community members including 100 women were engaged under the community employment scheme to clean and rehabilitate public spaces in Sabulau and Vaviquina,Maubara sub-District. Over a 10 day period, the participants worked in teams to clean 20 public areas, including project area designated for Maternity health center and water supply facilities, furthermore, they clean up 20 public spaces such as markets,schools,church,cemetery and roads, contributing directly to local development and public health.

Beyond the physical improvements, this initiative focuses on building human capacity. each participants received a USD 50 stipend for their work , and more importantly ,gained valuable hands-on experience in the team work, communication, and community mobilizations.

A man speaks into a microphone at a table with three seated participants in a blue room. — Nicolao da Costa, a youth intern, shares his experience during the launch event in Vaviquina, speaking alongside representatives from UNDP and local authorities about the impact of the CIReP initiative on his personal and professional growth.

Ayumi Kimura/ UNDP Timor-leste

Nicolao da Costa, a 25 years-old youth intern engage in the program, shared his personal journey.

“This is my first experience ln my life. I have learned how to work in a team, mobilize the community, communicate with the community, coordinate with local authority and work with UNDP, I feel very proud to have gain this valuable experience. this has increased my confidence to seek future job opportunities. I also happy to be working for and with my own community” said Nicolao while helping community payment in Suku Vaviquina Office.

CIReP is community based infrastructure initiative aiming to build 46 infrastructure project across, Liquica,Ermera,Bobonaro and RAEOA ,by 2027,it will directly engage over 4000 community members and estimated 16,0000 household and 75,000 individuals including 47 percent women are expected to benefit.

With support from government of Japan, CIReP go beyond infrastructure, it’s about creating opportunities, building confidence, skills and resilient future in Timor Leste’s community.