Friendships and food security in Timor-Leste

Parishioners were off to their sister parish of Railaco, Timor-Leste. They did not understand what he meant at the time. They soon experienced the generosity of the Timorese – who had much to give – hospitality, wisdom, faith, and a sense of shared humanity

“I have so many memorable experiences of visiting the programs in my six visits over the years. The most memorable was when I accompanied 18 others from St Canice’s in 2019 to come and witness first-hand what our parish was making possible,” said Michael Musgrave, parishioner and champion fundraiser at
St Canice’s Parish.

This year on the Feast Day of Saint Ignatius, St Canice’s Parish raised a record-breaking $16,000 to support the nutrition and educational works in their Jesuit sister parish Railaco.

“Over these years I have formed friendships with the many Jesuits connected with Railaco. My better understanding of what drives their dedication inspires my own faith.”

Developing food security

In Timor-Leste, the vast majority of people are affected by food insecurity. Worse yet, 46% of children under five suffer from malnutrition.

To create lasting change, in 2022 our local partner Jesuit Social Service Timor-Leste established the Food Security Project.

Since its inception, the project has provided almost 1,200 farming families with training to boost agricultural production, along with education on nutrition and healthy eating.

In 2024, this innovative project was supported by Pilgrims 100, an inspiring collective-giving group. Launched by St Ignatius Norwood (SA) parishioners in conjunction with Jesuit Mission, the group now has 98 members each giving $1,000 to a project of their choosing each year.

Members of Pilgrims 100 had the pleasure of visiting the farms of our friends in Timor-Leste. They witnessed the ways the project is not only improving harvests, but is allowing families to build a sustainable income so they can save money to send their children to school, invest in their health, and begin to pursue opportunities that were once out of reach.