USAID Funds Hygiene Kits for Internally Displaced Women
US Chargé d'Affaires Gerald Whitman joined Timor-Leste First Lady and Alola Foundation Director Kirsty Sword Gusmão for the first delivery of USAID-funded special washable, reusable feminine hygiene kits to 1,500 women at a camp for internally displaced persons in Dili. The kits include underpants, toweling napkins, and detergent, and are distributed in a small bucket and were designed to respond to the immediate needs of the women who live in the camps. Alola's rapid assessment helped evaluate the specific issues, including water supply, rubbish disposal, and toilet and washing facilities. The kits are intended to provide more dignity to women and to reduce waste and pollution. (Aug. 2, 2006)

Local Representatives Gain Leadership Skills
USAID-supported training for Timor-Leste's new local government representatives continues in districts outside Dili. The government's National Institute for Public Administration oversees the training program, which is working with village and sub-village councils and chiefs across the country. In Baucau District last week, more than 60 participants spent three days learning new skills for their roles as village and sub-village representatives. Included in the program are sessions on management, decision-making, and administrative skills. This week's training sessions are in Ainaro District. Disturbances in Dili in May and June delayed the nationwide training schedule but have not dampened the participants' enthusiasm. Lourenca, a youth representative from Laga, said, "The materials are new and difficult, but the explanations from the trainers and the training materials help me understand my roles and function." (Aug. 2, 2006)

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