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Also: Rice meal highlights a nation's food needs

Bega District News

Busy schedule for shire's guest Friday, 20 August 2004

MS MANUELA Pereira has had a busy schedule since her arrival in the Bega Valley from Timor-Leste (East Timor) last week.

The personal assistant to the Timor-Leste Minister for Health, Ms Pereira is on a two months' visit to the Valley sponsored by the Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste.

While in the Bega Valley Shire, she is doing work experience at the Bega District Hospital, The Tulgeen Group, Workability, Sertec and aged care facilities.

She is also visiting schools, service clubs, churches and local government offices, learning all the time about health and office administration and brushing up her English language skills.

Typical of her busy days was Wednesday when she breakfasted with the acting Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Employment, Education and Training, Ms Jenny Macklin.

During that meeting Ms Macklin promised to ensure the Opposition Leader, Mr Mark Latham, signed a letter to the Timor-Leste government supporting the Bega Valley Shire delegation to Timor-Leste, led by the mayor, Cr David Hede.

On Wednesday afternoon Ms Pereira spoke to the senior pupils at St Patrick's School and answered their questions on Timor-Leste.

Later that afternoon she attended a meeting of the Bega Valley Advocates for the People of East Timor at Sertec and was presented with books on English as a second language by its chief executive, Ms Marea Moulton.

During the meeting the Advocates determined their aims and objectives for the incorporation papers and it was also decided that the incorporated body would be called Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste for, as Ms Pereira pointed out, this was the new name for her new country.

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Rice meal highlights a nation's food needs 
Friday, 20 August 2004

LAST Saturday after the meet and greet barbecue at Manna Park, Manuela

Peireira from Timor-Leste (East Timor) visited the Tathra Uniting Church where the children were raising funds for the people of Timor-Leste at a Rice Night.

After some fun and games the children watched a video about Timor-Leste and learned about some of the problems which face this new nation especially the need for food.

When Manuela arrived with her host Margaret Taylor the children were busy making candles to sell to raise funds for Timor-Leste.

They also had a meal of boiled rice served on large leaves so the children could experience the food eaten in that country.

Manuela had a wonderful time and was so appreciative and thankful when she saw the children enthusiastically making their candles and helping the poor children of Timor-Leste.

She thanked the children of Tathra Uniting church for their efforts.

So far $47.00 has been raised from the sale of candles.

Because they were so popular more will be made to sell next Sunday.

The children are looking forward to meeting Manuela again at Tathra Uniting Church on Sunday, September 5 at the 5.00 pm evening service.

Visitors will be most welcome.

Manuela Peireira, the personal assistant to the East Timorese Minister for Health, is spending two months in the Bega Valley on work experience and expanding her English language skills.