Events.com apps

East Timor fundraiser lunch

East Timor fundraiser lunch
Image from eventbrite.com
Event ended

In early 2018 my wife, Rachel, and I set about looking for a project that offered us and our three kids 5, 8 and 10 genuine cultural education about our nearest neighbour, Timor Leste, whilst also doing something to help the local community.

After being introduced to some amazing people at the Australia East Timor Women’s Association, a kindergarten in Balibo (infamous in Australia for the story of the Balibo 5) was identified as a suitable project. It was in desperate need of repair with almost half the building unusable owing to structural damage.

Banding together with a few wonderful like-minded families, a fundraising endeavour began. Fundraising events included selling garden grown fruit, raffles, soliciting donations from family and friends and sending our kids busking (the latter resulted in a conversation amongst the parents over how the kids hourly rate eclipsed their day job hourly rates)!

Over several months just over $20,000 was raised and local contractors in Balibo were put to work. In September 2018 the family took off for East Timor to oversee the completion of the works and document the progress. We also pre-arranged a number of interactions with the kindy and school kids that flowed both ways. They were taught English and were taught Tetun, Traditional songs of both countries were shared, there was even some instruction in Cricket and AFL! Living, eating, singing and working with the people of Balibo for 3 weeks provided a genuine understanding of local life and prompted some profound questions and thinking from our kids.

A big part of the motivation for us was to give our children an understanding of how incredibly fortunate they are to have been born in Australia, and to instil a sense that with good fortune comes a responsibility to help those who are not as lucky.

In mid 2020 at The Hectorville sports and social club from 12 noon to 3pm Rachel and I, along with and several other people who have been involved, will be telling their stories and emphasising how accessible and rewarding a project like this can be. We are seeking to raise money to complete the final stage of the project: replacing a dangerously termite infested timber roof frame with a metal roof frame. The cost of this work will be AUD$17,500. We will again be using local contractors thus ensuring that the money raised and spent on the kindy remains in the local community.

There will be an East Timorese lunch with beer wine and soft drink included, a cultural demonstration from East Timorese students living in Adelaide as well an opportunity to learn about the turbulent history of the youngest, and one of the poorest countries in Asia from an Sheila Boston, who was living and working there in the not for profit sector for over 10 years. East Timorese handicrafts will be on sale providing a great opportunity for some early Christmas shopping. Opportunities to support the project will include silent auctions as well as a ‘wine wall raffle’ presenting an opportunity to win a generously donated bottle of Penfolds Grange!

Tickets for the event are $64.50 and can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/east-timor-fundraiser-lunch-tickets-75577922601

For more information, including a video, go to: www.balibikindy.org

Views - 05/08/2020 Last update
Hectorville Sports and Community Club
31 Fisher Street, Magill, 5072, SA, AU
Create an event
Create events for free. They will be immediately recommended to interested users.
Nearby hotels and apartments
31 Fisher Street, Magill, 5072, SA, AU
Discover more events in Adelaide Hills
Discover now
Discover more events in Adelaide Hills
Discover now
Hectorville Sports and Community Club
31 Fisher Street, Magill, 5072, SA, AU
Create an event
Create events for free. They will be immediately recommended to interested users.
  1. Adelaide Hills
  2. East Timor fundraiser lunch
 
 
 
 
Your changes have been saved.