Why You Should Support a Local Nonprofit: Timor-Leste Reflections
Collab with Kat provides services to local nonprofits and small businesses. Why?
We have seen the potential and impact of organizations with local leaders at the helm versus international organizations with decision makers who may have never physically been to the community they aim to serve. While many international organizations have wonderful intentions, their disconnect from their target communities leads to them proposing programs and initiatives that often do not align with the interests and needs of their beneficiaries.
Furthermore, sustainable change takes time. Effective projects require leaders who are invested in and/or are a part of the community, willing to reinforce and build small incremental changes year after year.
Despite their limitations in leading effective development work, international organizations continue to have access to the money to get work done due to their name recognition and immense resources.
“Those closest to the problem, are closest to the solution”
After COVID-19, we are seeing a shift in foundation and donor consciousness and awareness. There is now an increased interest in channeling funds into local community efforts. However, many incredible organizations do not have an online presence and have barriers to connecting with donors and accepting donations.
We recently led a 3-day conference in Timor-Leste for 20 nonprofit leaders representing 10 grassroots organizations from some of the most remote nonprofit and community organizations in the world. We were introduced to ten organizations tackling food security, socio-economic, education, environmental, and social justice challenges in their respective villages and districts despite having limited external support.
They reminded us why we strongly believe in supporting local organizations that are embedded and invested in their communities.
Our Takeaways from Our Timor-Leste Workshop
Our Leadership Accelerator Workshop in Timor-Leste was meant to harness the power and potential of local community leaders and allow them to connect.
During one of the workshop activities, participants shared a story of an achievement they were proud of. One standout story was from a representative named João Povu, from the organization BTL, which operates in the remote municipality of Viqueque (a four-hour drive from the capital city, Dili, through the mountains). He shared that despite grappling with language barriers and geographical isolation, he successfully secured opportunities for several of his team members to travel to Israel, gaining firsthand experience and valuable training in water systems management. In Timor-Leste, sponsored travel opportunities for professional development and culture exchanges for rural youth and professionals are incredibly rare, and João had to fight legal and social barriers to make this happen.
Sharing the story was an emotional moment for João and everyone in attendance. He reminded all of us how determination, creativity, and strong leadership can bridge gaps and unlock incredible opportunities, no matter who or where you are in the world.
Insights From our Los Palos and Viqueque Site Visits
During our 10-day visit to Timor-Leste, we organized field trips to Los Palos and Viqueque municipalities to visit some of our workshop participants and see their projects firsthand, observing the power of their invaluable cultural sensitivity/understanding, relationships, and practical insights.
KOLPING
While in Los Palos, we had the pleasure of visiting the team at Kolping, who run an inspiring grassroots organization deeply embedded within the local community. Kolping’s mission is to create a just world that allows everyone to live a decent life.
With over 1,500 members and 140 “Kolping Families” across Dili, Baucau, and Maliana, Kolping has steadily grown into a national force for positive change. From their national office in Los Palos (210 km from Dili), they provide hands-on vocational training, microloans, and cooperative support, empowering communities to build sustainable livelihoods.
We had the opportunity to learn about their vocational training workshops focused on coconut oil production, and how they promote entrepreneurship through small credits. We also had a first-hand look at their carpentry workshop, where they built wooden doors for homes in the community. What stood out to us most was Kolping’s team members’ commitment to the community. To them, their work isn’t just about economic opportunities; it’s about restoring dignity and agency to individuals in even the most remote parts of the country.
Whether they are teaching locals how to produce coconut oil or helping micro-entrepreneurs launch new ventures, Kolping consistently fosters self-reliance, pride, and long-term resilience.
CENTRO DEZENVOLVIMENTU JUVENTUDE MUNISIPIU LAUTEM (CDJ-LTM)
We were also impressed by another Los Palos organization, the Centro Dezenvolvimentu Juventude Lautem (CDJ-LTM), an organization deeply committed to empowering local youth. Through targeted programs such as entrepreneurship training and Life Skills-Based Education (LSBE), CDJ-LTM equips young people from various nearby counties, including Lautem, Lospalos, and Daudere, with critical skills and knowledge to improve their daily lives and economic prospects.
With strong backing from the Secretariat of State for Youth and Sport (SEJD), CDJ-LTM helps youth groups foster sustainable social enterprises that build resilience and confidence within communities, and they lead a wonderful football program that encourages female and male athletes to play alongside one another, bridging the gender gap in Timor-Leste. Their dedicated, community-based approach ensures that youth can meaningfully engage with their future, regardless of gender, background, or challenges they may face.
During our visit, we had the chance to meet and interact with their staff and students, hear directly about their projects, and witness the enthusiasm and creativity they bring to their initiatives. What stood out to us most was the genuine display of confidence from the students. They spoke about their plans with confidence, determination, and a strong sense of community spirit.
Final Thoughts on Timor-Leste:
Although Geographical location should never determine access to resources, skills, or opportunities for several of our participants, this was their first-ever opportunity to join a training and networking event or even to travel to the capital city of Dili.
Between CDJ-LTM, Kolping, BTL, and the seven other organizations that participated in our accelerator, we were amazed at what they accomplished with so few resources and connections. We were deeply inspired by their eagerness, openness, and willingness to engage with challenging topics such as fundraising, strategic planning, donor outreach, and event management.
The mutual exchange of ideas, cultural insights, and future collaboration plans left us feeling optimistic and determined to support our partners in Timor-Leste and ALL local and under-resourced organizations across the globe.
Join us in amplifying and uplifting the voices and expertise of local community leaders!
If you’re inspired to support our work in Timor-Leste or reevaluate your organization’s approach to giving, we would love to talk. Together, let’s champion a future where local leadership is the standard, not the exception
Meet our Timor-Leste Leadership Accelerator participants:
- Centro Dezenvolvimentu Juventude Lautem: Provides Civil Education, Organizational Management, Leadership, Training of Finance and Administration, and Computer literacy.
- Webora: Develops skills like sewing traditional clothing.
- Engineers Without Borders (EWB): works to improve the quality of life of people living and working in disadvantaged communities in Timor-Leste.
- BTL (Municipio Viqueque): Government agency that works closely with the community to provide clean water to Viqueque municipality.
- Funleko: Offers Gender equality and Child protection initiatives in the isolated region of Ocussie.
- Sharis Haburas Comunidade (SHC): Promotes capacity-building workshops and raises awareness to transform youth and vulnerable community members’ wives.
- Associação Grupo Comunidade Rural (AGCR): Provides horticulture and agriculture training in rural areas to the youth and families with vulnerable children.
- Kolping: Provides vocational training workshops and Small credits in several municipalities.
- Association of Human Building Capacity (AHBC):Empowering individuals through the development of key skills in English, leadership, and horticulture.
- Naroman Ba Futuru: Works to end violence and protect the well being of women and children
- Group of Feto Foinsa e Hamdomi Kultura: Supports women businesses through textile manufacturing of traditional clothing.
- Coperativo Ita Bele (CIB): Women Economic empowerment through agriculture and micro loans.
If you would like to see the work of Timor nonprofits firsthand and experience an incredible culture, we invite you to start with Timor-Leste Tourism’s official site and to connect with us!