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Manatuto women's group launches social program to help vulnerable families

Source
Dili Weekly - June 6, 2016

Paulina Quintao – The Women's Association of Manatuto Municipality (WAMM) has bought female entrepreneurs and employees together to help provide ongoing practical assistance to vulnerable families and women in rural areas in Manatuto municipality.

President Clara de Carvalho Ximenes said the social service program was aimed at opening the hearts of female entrepreneurs to the plight of other vulnerable women. The entrepreneurs are invited to visit the sukus (villages) to see the living conditions of local women first-hand and meet those most in need.

"The association with the female entrepreneurs and employees visit the poor people, widows and abandoned women to see their life conditions and offer some materials," she said. She said the contributions were not monetary, but practical items to help meet the basic daily needs of women in children in rural areas.

Ximenes said the program was established to help ensure the association's activities continued in the future. In 2013, the government, through the Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality (now called SEM), established women's associations in 12 municipalities, including Oecusse, to assist with capacity building in rural areas.

However, the President of the Baucau Women's Association, Regina de Sousa, said they had nothing financial to offer women in need. To address this, de Sousa said the association recently set up a micro-credit program to help vulnerable women improve their situation in life.

She said the Secretary of State for Socio-economic Support of Women had this year allocated funds for the purchase of office stationary, but as the association was still without a permanent office, members instead decided to develop a micro-credit program for women in the municipality.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/development/13812-manatuto-women-s-group-launches-social-program-to-help-vulnerable-families

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