ANA-PAULA DE JESUS DA SILVA: THE STRONG WOMAN THAT KEEPS ON LEARNING

Mana Ana-Paula de Jesus da Silva came from the village of Mertuku, Ermera. She survived gender-based violence. We met her back in September 2020 when we conducted a rapid assessment and market scan for Reforsa Hamutuk project. In that valuable opportunity, she shared her intentions and hopes for learning.

 “I used to live with my parents and younger siblings [in Mertuku]. Now, I am living with my aunt in Dili and studying public health in university. Fokupers provides me with a scholarship for the university. My parents give some money to my aunt to pay for my living cost.”

 When asked about other activities she did besides studying, Mana Ana-Paula said that, together with her aunt, she sold donuts for breakfast.

 “My aunt makes the donuts and I sell them. My aunt uses the profits from the sales to help me paying for my school needs.”

 When asked about the challenges she faced in balancing her study and the micro-business, Mana Ana-Paula said, “It’s difficult to sell all the donuts because many women in the neighborhood have the same business. I’d like to start an obralan business in my aunt’s house but, because I also go to school, I do not have enough time to start it. I [also] have no money for the first investment to buy an obralan package.”

 Regardless of the challenges, Mana Ana-Paula still have hopes for a better future.

 “It seems that, because I’m in school, it is hard for me to increase business activities. But, I’d like to learn how to improve our current business, like learning how to promote our products better.”

 Fokupers is working in collaboration with ACbit and Hivos in the Reforsa Hamutuk project to support strong women survivors like Mana Ana-Paula. Financed by the Europen Union, the project aims to promote social inclusion and economic development for women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste by raising awareness, providing training, and networking with key stakeholders from the government, businesses, training providers, and civil society.

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