Dili – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with support from the Government of Japan, handed over 900 non-food item (NFI) kits and a mobile container that serves as a warehouse for the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) on Tuesday (14/03). This donation will enable the government to better respond to future emergencies and increase the emergency preparedness of Timor-Leste for future crises. 

This handover is part of IOM’s project, Reducing Disaster Risk and Enhancing Emergency Preparedness in the COVID-19 context for Timor-Leste, aimed at reducing disaster risk and improving Timor-Leste's preparedness for future disasters. 

The NFI kits and the mobile warehouse will benefit 4,500 individuals (900 families) for their critical needs to improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations during displacements. The kit included hygiene items, kitchen utensils, bedding, and COVID-19 prevention items. Specific items for women and girls are also provided to mitigate against exposure to protection risks during emergencies. All items are aligned to the Sphere standards and Decree Law on Civil Protection.    

“Providing the Government with NFI kits and a warehouse is crucial for the country to better respond to and prepare for future disasters. More importantly, it also contributes to reducing the risks of COVID-19 and gender-based violence (GBV) in evacuation centers,” said Ihma Shareef, IOM Chief of Mission in Timor-Leste. 

Since February 2022, the project has trained 218 government representatives and community members in being able to provide assistance in emergencies to vulnerable populations. Six evacuation centers have been assessed and are being renovated in Dili, Manatuto, and Viqueque. The evacuation centers will improve the access of over 32,000 individuals to safe and dignified shelters during emergencies. 

In his statement, Ambassador of Japan to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Tetsuya Kimura said that “Japan is also a disaster-prone nation, having experienced many disasters in the past. I believe that Japan can share the knowledge and expertise in which we gained in the past. Japan is cooperating with TL government through various projects for every cycle of Disaster Risk Reduction (DDR). We find it important to address the DDR related issues comprehensively.” 

“I would like to express our gratitude to IOM and the Government of Japan for providing us the NFI kits and a mobile warehouse which will allow us to help vulnerable and impacted communities in future disasters for their immediate needs. We now have improved capacities to respond to emergencies,” affirmed Supt. Ismael da Costa Babo, President of Civil Protection Authority. 

The project also includes IOM’s efforts to support the GoTL in mainstreaming protection approaches including GBV risks during emergencies, providing safe spaces for the vulnerable groups during disasters, and community outreach on disaster preparedness and early warning systems. At the same time, the project supports the Camp Coordination and Camp Management/Emergency Shelter cluster in which IOM is the co-lead. 

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For more information, please contact: 

Ihma Shareef, IOM Chief of Mission in Timor-Leste via email ishareef@iom.int