Women Protection, Peace and Economic Development

Project Update: Women and Child Protection, Economic Development and the Promotion of Peace and Democracy

Report Period of August – October 2025

 Municipalities: Covalima and Ermera

The Women and Child Protection, Economic Development and the Promotion of Peace and Democracy project continues to make strong progress in both Covalima and Ermera. Our team is providing ongoing one-on-one support to women participants, helping them build confidence and practical skills for personal and economic growth.

We have now entered the second phase of the 18-month implementation period in Ermera. During this stage, two community theater events were held in Railaco and Ermera, reaching around 550 community members. These performances shared important messages about women’s empowerment, financial management, and family cooperation. The team also conducted two training sessions for 50 women focused on Women’s Economic Empowerment, Conflict Resolution, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Savings and Loans management.

Community Theater Highlights

The audiences in Railaco and Ermera responded with great enthusiasm. Many shared that the performances reflected the real challenges women face in running small businesses and managing family responsibilities.

After the community theater, one participant expressed that:

“The messages from this performance truly reflect our daily lives. It helped us understand the importance of financial planning and the need for family support, especially from husbands and children—to succeed in business. It really changed the way we think and act.”

 These performances did more than entertain, they educated and inspired change, showing that women’s empowerment begins with understanding and mutual support at home and in the community.

Training and Empowerment Activities

The two training programs brought together 50 women to learn about budgeting, credit access, conflict resolution, and gender-based violence prevention. Participants expressed strong motivation and commitment throughout the 11-day training, supported by local leaders and government representatives from Suco Lihu and Suco Poetete.

One participant from Railaco also shared:

“I am very happy with this training because I learned how to manage money wisely and plan expenses. Even though I have little formal education, the facilitators made everything easy to understand and made me feel confident to participate. I now realize that every expense needs a plan, and I am motivated to improve my business activities.”

Her story reflects the overall spirit of the program—women gaining confidence, financial skills, and a renewed sense of empowerment to create positive change for themselves and their families.