Timor Leste
» Capital: Dili» Population: 0.9 million
» Concern started work in: 1999
» Concern's annual budget: €65533;1,995,274
» Concern staff: 148
» GDP per capita: US $1,033
» Life expectancy: 56 years
» Living with HIV&AIDS: <0.2%
» Literacy: 58.6%
» Currency: United States Dollar
Anna Maria Soares’ Story
Anna Maria, 23, lives in Dili, East Timor.
A vendor, Anna Maria and her family were evacuated to the Foreign Minister’s House in May 2006 when they were caught up in crossfire between the East Timor Defence Force (F-FDTL), a branch of East Timor’s National Police (UIR) and other Police Members.
In her own words
“When we arrived at the Foreign Minister’s House, we were told to stay outside the door as it was not safe for us to go inside.
I was pregnant, but we waited there for two weeks, sleeping under a mosquito net and wishing we could go back home.
“In June 2006, Concern and UNHCR assessed our camp to help us improve our camp.
They supplied tents, mats, rice, clean water and latrines to everyone, so that our living conditions improved.
“Concern has provided much humanitarian aid since we arrived.
I would ask you to help this organisation to work with the government so that the situation can be normalised again and, more importantly, that we can finally go home, without fear of fighting and murders in the Bairo-bairo (hamlets).”
