MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY

PRESS RELEASE

17 December 2009

Minister of Social Solidarity provides update on work of MSS during 2009

On 17 December 2009, the Minister of Social Solidarity, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, provided an update about the work of the Ministry of Social Solidarity during 2009. The Minister said “during 2009 MSS has worked hard to improve the lives of many of the vulnerable groups within Timor-Leste, including: veterans, widows, people with disabilities, orphans, ex-prisoners, IDPs, and victims of natural disasters.”

IDPs

Since the commencement of the National Recovery Strategy in December 2007, MSS has assisted more than 14,700 IDP families to return to, and rebuild their homes (11,200 in 2008 and 3,500 in 2009). The Ministry has assisted IDPs from 65 tented IDP camps and 6 Transitional Shelters to return home (49 in 2008 and 16 in 2009). MSS has distributed more than $37.8 million in Phase I recovery/reintegration packages ($26.8 million in 2008 and $11 million in 2009).

Phase II of the National Recovery Strategy was approved by the Council of Ministers on 28 October 2009 and commenced implementation in mid-November 2009. More than 15,500 IDP families have received a Phase II recovery package of $500 as recovery assistance for possessions and assets which were lost/destroyed during the 2006/07 crises. The commercial banks – ANZ, Bank Mandiri, BNU, and the Micro-Finance Institute of Timor-Leste - are assisting MSS to implement Phase II. It is hoped the returned IDPs are using the Phase I and Phase II recovery packages to rebuild their lives, and that they will continue to live peacefully and safely in their communities of return.

Since they commenced work in July 2008, the MSS/UNDP Dialogue Teams have organised 42 community dialogues (16 (July-December 08) and 26 (January - December 09)) in Dili, Ermera, Liquica, Baucau and Viqueque. The MSS/UNDP dialogue teams promote dialogue as a means to addressing community conflict. They have conducted more than 694 mediations in support of IDP reintegration and return (392 (July - December 08) and 302 (January - December 09)).

Veterans

The government places a high priority on recognizing the great contributions made by veterans of the resistance and in 2008 began the payment of monthly pensions to veterans and their surviving immediate family members. 4000 veterans and families of martyrs have received pensions in 2009. The total budget to pay the pensions in 2009 is $15 million. These pensions are of great economic assistance to the veterans, former combatants and their families. They show that the government values the contribution these veterans and ex-combatants gave to the independence of this country, and continue to give to the peaceful development of a stable nation.

In 2009, MSS also provided scholarships to 78 children of martyrs studying at school or university. On 28 – 29 August 2009, a Funeral Ceremony was held and the remains of 443 martyrs were buried at the Heroes and Martyrs of the National Resistance Garden in Metinaro.

Support Subsidy for Elderly and Disabled

Since 2008 MSS has been providing a Support Subsidy of $20 a month to elderly and disabled national citizens. Persons 60 years old or above are considered elderly and persons 18 years old with absolute and definitive incapacity to work (medically declared) are considered disabled. The objective of the support subsidy to aged and disabled persons is to provide a basic level of subsistence to those aged and disabled persons living in the national territory and to recognize and value their contribution to the country. The subsidy also aims to improve their living conditions and assist them to deal with their daily difficulties.

The total budget available for the support subsidy to aged and disabled persons in 2009 is $16.25 million. A total of 63,614 elderly persons who have identification to prove their identity and age, have received payments in 2009. A total of 5,663 disabled citizens have received the support subsidy in 2009. DNSS has requested 20,737 beneficiaries to present additional identification documents in order to receive the benefits. The payments are conducted on a six monthly basis at the district and sub-district offices.

Other assistance provided by MSS

The Minister explained that besides the assistance provided to internally displaced people, and pensions for veterans, elderly and disabled, MSS has also provided assistance to other vulnerable groups. For instance, the bolsa da mae program is designed to support the neediest widows and single mothers, assisting them to feed and educate their children by providing a monthly subsidy. Under this program the Directorate of Social Reintegration provided financial and other support to more than 9,739 widows and their families in 13 districts. The total government budget for the Bolsa da Mae program in 2009 is $795,760.00.

In 2009, the Directorate for Social Assistance developed the social housing program to support the elderly, disabled, widows and chronically ill and improve their living conditions by providing them with a new house. A total of 450 houses were budgeted for in all 13 districts. 208 houses have been completed in 6 districts (35 in Bobonaro, 35 in Covalima, 34 in Liquica, 35 in Manufahi, 35 in Oe-cusse and 34 in Viqueque). 139 houses are more than 50% complete in 4 districts - Ainaro, Baucau, Dili and Manatuto. 69 houses in Ermera and Lospalos districts are still in the process of construction.

The Directorate of Social Assistance has also provided humanitarian assistance (mostly food) to vulnerable groups in Dili and each district. At least 90,000 people have received food assistance from DNAS during 2009, including widows, disabled, elderly, orphans, IDPs, and victims of natural disasters. In 2009 DNAS also provided more than 250 bereaved families with funeral cars to take the deceased family member from the home or hospital to the cemetery.

According to the Minister of Social Solidarity, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, “during 2009, the Ministry of Social Solidarity has worked hard to provide social protection and assistance to the many different vulnerable groups within Timor-Leste. We have been able to assist many people, thanks to the cooperation of other government departments, donors, UN agencies, NGOs and other partner agencies. ” The Minister thanked all of MSS's partners who have helped MSS to achieve such good results, in particular: the Chefe Sucos and Chefe Aldeias, IOM, UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, UNFPA, Concern, CRS, Plan, NRC, Oxfam, CARE, Belun, JRS, Ba Futuru, Trocaire, the PDHJ, RENETIL, Austcare, Sub-Commission Justice and Peace, Caritas, RCDS, PRADET, JSMP, FOKUPERS, Casa Vida, the Alola Foundation, AHISAUN, ALMA Sisters, ASSERT, DPO Groupu Karpinteria, East Timor Blind Union, Grupus Esperanca/CWS, KATILOSA, KLIBUR DOMIN, St Francisco Ailieu, and Timor Aid. The Minister said, “I look forward to continuing to work hard in 2010 to provide further social protection and solidarity. By doing so, I sincerely hope we can help improve the lives of all vulnerable people in Timor-Leste.”

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MINISTÉRIO SOLIDARIEDADE SOCIAL

KOMUNIKADU DE IMPRENSA

17 Dezembru 2009

Ministra Solidaridade Sosial fo informasaun kona ba MSS nia serbisu durante 2009

Iha loron 17 Dezembru 2009, Ministra Solidariedade Social, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, fo update kona ba Ministerio Solidaridade Social nia serbisu durante 2009. Ministra hatete “durante 2009 Ministerio Solidariedade Social serbisu makaas at improva vida ba grupu vulneravel iha Timor-Leste, inklui: veteranus, feto-faluk, defisientes, orfanato, ex-prisoneiros, dezlokadus no vitimas ba disastres naturais.”

IDPs

Desde Estratejia Rekuperasaun Nasionál komesa iha Dezembru 2009, MSS ajuda familia deslokadu 14,700 resin atu fila no mos, hadia fali sira nia uma (11,200 iha 2008 no 3,500 iha 2009). Ministerio ajuda dezlokadu sira husi kampu IDP 65 no Uma Transitorio 4 atu fila ba uma. MSS fó tiha ona $37.8 miliaun (juta) resin iha pakote rekuperasaun ka pakote reintegrasaun Phase I ($26.8 milaun iha 2008 no $11 milaun iha 2009).

Phase II ba Estratejia Rekuperasaun Nasionál hetan approvasaun husi Counselho do Ministro iha loron 28 Outubru 2009, no komesa implementasaun iha Novembru 2009. Familia dezlokadu 15,500 resin simu tiha ona pakote rekuperasaun $500 iha Phase II nudar assistensia rekuperasaun ba sasan no riku soin ne’ebe lakon/ hetan estragos durante krize 2006/07. Banku komersial – ANZ, Bank Mandiri, BNU, no Institução de Micro-Finanças de Timor-Leste – assiste MSS atu implementa Phase II. Ita espera katak, dezlokadu sira ne’ebe fila bele uza pakote rekuperasaun Phase I no Phase II atu hari’i fali sira nia vida, no katak sira sei kontinua hela ho dame no seguru iha sira nia komunidade retornu.

Desde sira komesa serbisu iha fulan Jullu 2008, MSS/ UNDP nia Equipa Dialogu organisa tiha ona dialogu komunidade 42 (16 (Jullu-Dezembru 08) no 26 (Janeiro - Dezembru 09)) iha Dili, Ermera, Liquica, Baucau no Viqueque. MSS/UNDP nia equipa dialogu promove dialogu nudar dalan atu resolve konflitu iha komunidade. Sira mos halo tiha ona mediasaun 694 resin atu apoiu deslokadu sira nia reintegrasaun no fila ba uma (392 (Jullu - Dezembru 08) no 302 (Janeiro - Dezembru 09)).

Veteranu sira

Governu fo prioridade aas ba rekogniza kontribusaun husi veteranu sira ba resistensia nasional i iha 2008 halo pagamentu primeiro ba veteranu no kombatente Libertasaun Nasionál sira no sira nia família ne’ebe sei moris. Pensaun ba veteranus ne’e hanesan istória ida ba Timor-Leste hahú valóriza luta-na’in sira ne’ebé fó sira-nia kontribusaun ba Timor-Leste nia ukun-an. Veteranu sira no família ba mártire 4000 resin simu pensaun iha 2009. Total orsamentu ba pensaun iha 2009 maka $15 milaun. Pensaun hirak-ne’e sei fó asisténsia boot ba veteranu, eis-kombatente nomos sira-nia família nia ekonomia. Pensaun hirak-ne’e hatudu katak governu fó valór ba kontribuisaun ne’ebé veteranu no eis-kombatene sira fó ona ba rai ida-ne’e nia ukun-an, no sei kontinua kontribui ba dezenvolvimentu nasionál, dame no estabilidade.

Iha 2009, MSS mos fo bolsa estuda ba martires nia oan 78 atu ajuda sira kontinua sira nia estuda iha escola no universidade. Iha loron 28 – 29 Agustu, governu mos halo Seremonia Funeral no ruin mártires 443 maka hakoi iha Jardin dos Heróis no Mártires da Libertasaun Nasional iha Metinaro.

Subsidiu Apoiu ba Idozus no Inválidu sira

Desde 2008, MSS fo Apoiu Subsidiu $20 per fulan ba idozo sira no defisiente. Ema sira ho otas tinan 60 no bá-leten konsidera nu’udar idozos no ema ho otas tinan 18 ho inkapasidade absoluta no definitiva ba servisu (akompaña ho atestadu médiku) konsideradu defisiente. Objetivu hosi apoiu subsidiu ba idozos no defisiente sira mak mak atu haraik nivel bázika subsisténsia ba ferik-katuas no defisiente sira no atu rekoñese no valóriza sira-nia kontribuisaun ba nasaun. Subsidiu ne’e mós ho hanoin atu hasa’e sira-nia kondisaun moris no tulun sira hasoru ka lida ho sira-nia susar.

Totál orsamentu ne’ebé disponivel ba subsidiu apoiu ba idozus no inválidu sira iha 2009 maka hamutuk $16.25 miliaun. Totál benefisiáriu idozos 63,614 ne’ebé iha identifikasaun atu prova sira-nia identidade no idade, simu tiha ona pagamentu iha tinan 2009. Benefisiáriu inválidu sira hamutuk 5,663 simu tiha ona sira-nia osan pensaun iha 2009. DNSS husu benefisiáriu 20,737 atu hatama sira-nia dokumentu komprovativu atu sira bele simu sira-nia osan. Pagamentu hirak-ne’e sei halo iha fulan neen-neen iha sede distritu no sub-distritu.

MSS mos fo assistensia seluk

Ministra explika katak, ho tan assistensia ne'ebe fo ba dezlokadu, pensaun ba veteranus, idozos no defisientes, MSS mos fo assistensia ba grupu vulneravel seluk. Por ezamplu, programa bolsa da mae fó tulun liuhosi subsidiu fulafulan ba feto faluk sira, no inan solteiro be presiza tebetebes hodi nune’e bele tulun sira haree no fó-eskola ba sira-nia oan. Liu programa ida ne’e, Diresaun Nasional Reintegrasaun Social fo assistensia financial no apoio seluk ba umakain 9,739 iha 2009. Totál orsamentu estadu nian ba programa Bolsa da Mãe iha 2009 maka $795,760.00.

Iha 2009, Diresaun Nasional Assistensia Social dezenvolve Programa Uma Sosiál atu apoia ferik-katuas, inválidu, faluk no ema moras krónika sira atu hadi’ak sira-nia kondisaun moris liuhosi fó uma ba sira. Uma hamutuk 450 ba ema sira ne’ebe iha direitu sei konstroe iha distritu 13 hotu. Uma 208 maka kompletu iha distritu 6 (35 iha Bobonaro, 35 iha Covalima, 34 iha Liquica, 35 iha Manufahi, 35 iha Oecusse, no 34 iha Viqueque). Uma 139 maka 50% kompletu iha distritu 4 – Ainaro, Baucau, Díli no Manatuto. Uma 69 sei iha prosesu konstrusaun iha Ermera no Lospalos.

Diresaun Nasional Assistensia Social mós fó asisténsia ai-han ba umakain kiak no vulnerável sira iha distritu hotu. Iha tinan 2009 DNAS fó tiha ona asisténsia ba umakain 90,000 resin liuhosi distribui foos, ba feto-faluk, defisientes, idozos, orfanato, dezlokado, no vitima dezastres naturais. Iha tinan 2009 DNAS mos fó tiha ona karreta mate nian ba família hamutuk 250 atu lori mate isin hosi uma ka ospitál ba rate.

Tuir Ministra Solidaridade Sosial, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves, nia hatete “durante 2009, Ministerio Solidaride Sosial serbisu makaas atu fo protesaun no assistensia ba grupu vulneravel oi-oin iha Timor-Leste. Ami bele ajuda ema barak tamba mos simu kooperasaun husi departementu governu seluk, doadores, ajensia UN, ONG, no ajensia parseirus.” Ministra fo obrigada ba MSS nia parseiru hotu ne’ebe ajuda MSS atu hetan resulta diak, liu-liu: Chefe Sucos no Chefe Aldeias, PDHJ, IOM, UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, UNFPA, Concern, CRS, Plan, NRC, Oxfam, CARE, Belun, JRS, Ba Futuru, Trocaire, RENETIL, Austcare, Sub-Commission Justice and Peace, Caritas, RCDS, PRADET, JSMP, FOKUPERS, Casa Vida, the Alola Foundation, AHISAUN, ALMA Sisters, ASSERT, DPO Groupu Karpinteria, East Timor Blind Union, Grupus Esperanca/CWS, KATILOSA, KLIBUR DOMIN, St Francisco Ailieu, and Timor Aid. Ministra hatete “Hau espera katak ami bele kontinua serbisu makaas durante 2010 atu kontinua fo protesaun social no solidaridade tan. Liu husi ne'e hau espera katak bele kontinua improva vida ba ema vulneravel iha Timor-Leste.”

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