The Jesuits in Timor-Leste are responding to the widespread destruction of Tropical Cyclone Seroja, an Easter Sunday nightmare that brought flash flooding and left 42 people dead, including a Timorese teacher at the Jesuit secondary school, Colégio de Santo Inácio de Loiola.
With an estimated 14,000 people temporarily displaced as of 9 April, Jesuit Mission Australia and Jesuit Social Service – Timor-Leste are working together to support communities in six informal evacuation centres in Hare and Dili, areas badly affected by the flood.
“Evacuation centres include convents, parish halls, a university, and religious houses. Now that the rain has stopped, we can begin to clean up and plan long-term solutions for these families,” said Fr Júlio Sousa SJ, Director of Jesuit Social Service Timor-Leste.
These long-term solutions include purchasing and providing mattresses, bed sheets, and kitchen and cooking utensils for 100 households or approximately 1,000 people.
“If we have sufficient resources we will certainly extend our help to more households. At the moment we have distributed food items and clothes to over 500 people,” said Fr Sousa.
Temporary shelters in Tasi-Tolu, west of the capital Dili
Currently food is being provided to displaced families as all their cooking equipment has been destroyed by the floods.
“Any donation towards the vital efforts of our Jesuit partners will help transform the situation of the most vulnerable families. Let’s work together to help our sisters and brothers in Timor-Leste get back on their feet,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.
The mass displacement and infrastructural damage caused by flooding waters and landslides additionally poses the threat of spreading Covid-19, with Dili seeing a resurgence of new cases in recent months. Before the flood, Dili was placed under a lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Food transport and supplies were likewise limited causing food insecurity among people already struggling to feed their families.
To make a donation to Jesuit Mission to help flood victims in Timor-Leste go to https://jesuitmission.org.au/timor-floods/
