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Memories from Timor Leste

Memories from Timor Leste

They went, they saw and they learnt.

Organised by the Singapore Red Cross Society and Cruz Vermelha Timor Leste, an expedition brought three ITE nursing students and their lecturer, along with seven other youth volunteers from the Red Cross Humanitarian Network, to Timor Leste (formerly known as East Timor). The expedition lasted for two weeks. When they returned, they brought home a simply unforgettable experience - something that can never be found nor taught within the four walls of a classroom.

Sacrificing for a Good Cause
School holidays are usually spent hanging out with friends in cafes or at the movies, but for Sherry Lian Bing, 19, Gary Loo Keng Soon, 26, and Gan Thiam San, 34, Nitec in Nursing students from ITE East (Bishan), they chose to spend their June holidays doing community work at three districts in Timor Leste: Dili, Aileu and Baucau. The work involved conducting health education talks and ecology programmes, teaching English, basic computer skills and the Community-Based First Aid concept to the villagers and local volunteers. In addition, the team also organised fun events such as community singing lessons, sports activities, a campfire in Aileu, and a carnival in Dili.

According to Thiam San, getting there wasn’t easy. He said: “There was no direct flight, so from Singapore, we had to transit at Jakarta, then Bali, before we were able to reach Dili, the capital of Timor Leste. We stayed there for a night before going to Aileu, an organic coffee growing region, where there are paddy fields aplenty. After a week, we left for Baucau, where we stayed for five days.

The weather was erratic. Temperatures could soar to a high of 37 degrees Celsius during the day and drop to a low of five at night. Now, we understood why the villagers requested us to bring in more blankets. Besides this, water and electricity supply was only available from 5 pm to 12 midnight daily.”

Undeterred by Language Barrier
Sherry recalled that the team experienced much difficulty while conducting lessons on health education and oral hygiene, as the villagers did not understand English. They communicated mainly using their local dialect Tetun. Fortunately, a local volunteer was present to assist in translating the lessons. She shared: “We taught them the correct method of tooth brushing, and ways to keep their environment clean, so as to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, such as malaria or dengue fever. On the whole, it had been a wonderful and enriching experience, as we were able to put into practice what we had learnt in class. I felt great knowing that I could make a difference to the lives of these people, especially in the area of health care.”

Added Gary: “The folks of Timor Leste were very friendly, unassuming and appreciative, and were always around to chat with us. They taught us their traditional folk dance, while we taught them a friendship dance in return. It was certainly a very memorable experience, as we not only had to adjust to the different living conditions there, but also learnt to work with people of different cultures and accept their lifestyle.”

Ms Chow Wai Har, Lecturer/Nursing of ITE East (Bishan), who accompanied the trio on the mission, summed it up by saying: “The students learnt the importance of teamwork and the need to be sensitive to cultural differences. It also made them more appreciative of what they have back home.”