First USAID Scholar Returns with Agriculture Expertise (English, Tetun)

Helder Lopes has spent the past two years a very long way from his home in Los Palos. He has been studying at Michigan State University in the U.S. on a scholarship from USAID's Training Future Leaders program. Mr. Lopes has just graduated, earning his Master's Degree in Agriculture, Food, and Resource Economics. Now Mr. Lopes has come back to Timor-Leste to start a new and exciting phase in his career.

In addition to completing many hours of course work and a master's thesis, Mr. Lopes attended the annual meeting of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association in June. Participants at the conference presented a wide range of research projects and papers from universities around the world, and experts were on hand to discuss conference topics and emerging trends. Mr. Lopes said that the conference added a great deal to his knowledge and gave him fresh perspectives on global economic issues.

"I feel that I gained tremendous experience, which is extremely important for my future professional career, and for the development of Timor-Leste," Mr. Lopes said. He added that he plans to use the many professional connections he made at the conference and at Michigan State University to help develop Timor-Leste's agricultural sector with cutting edge information on economic development and technology adaptation.

Mr. Lopes is a scholarship recipient of USAID/Washington’s Training Future Leaders program. The program is in its final year, and a new scholarship program funded by USAID Timor-Leste will start in 2011, offering scholarships for academic degrees and short-term technical training to Timorese youth and young professionals.