Hau nia Tasi, Hau nia Timor（My Sea, My Timor)

2023-3/ Timor-Leste, Environmental Education
Arisa Minoru

“World Ocean Day” is celebrated annually on June 8. On this day, an environmental event called “Hau nia Tasi, Hau nia Timor (My Sea, My Timor)“　was held in the capital city of Dili, with an initiative of H.E. Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao, and I participated in this event as a JICA volunteer for environmental education with my colleagues from my host organization CEIA (Center of Information and Education for Environment)

The purpose of our participation was to raise awareness about littering and to introduce waste separation. In Timor-Leste, it is very common to see people littering waste on the roadside because of the lack of proper waste collection points and collection systems. In Dili, one of the most common types of waste is plastic. When you walk around the town, you may see a lot of plastic bottles in the gutters, rivers, and beachside. Littering of waste is a serious problem in Timor-Leste, some estimates suggest that the amount of litter outside waste collection points reaches up to about 45% of the total amount of waste.

My organization, CEIA visits schools and communities in Timor-Leste to give classes on environmental education. Through teaching classes, I realized that people litter waste due to a lack of educational opportunities.
When I teach my class, I explain that the plastic waste needs hundreds of years to decompose. It is crushed into microplastics in the ocean and many animals in the ocean are affected, and it will have an unfavorable effect on human health as well.
When I talked about these topics, everyone listened intently, and many of them quickly understand that littering　waste, especially plastic waste is harmful to both the environment and our life.
One day in a primary school, we picked up waste in the schoolyard with the students after class, and I was impressed that the students competed to pick up waste and enthusiastically separated them. I still remember the moment freshly in my mind.

At the World Ocean Day event, children looked at the trash bins curiously at first, but after a few explanations, they cooperated in separating paper waste from plastic waste and threw them into each bin while looking at the designs of the bins. My heart was filled with happiness as I saw them whispering to each other about how to separate waste correctly and sometimes proudly putting waste in the bins.
There is a story in Timor-Leste. A crocodile was rescued by a boy, traveled together around the world, and when the crocodile passed away in the East end of the world where the sun rises, it became Timor Island. During the event, H.E. President Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta said “Timor-Leste was born from the Sea, so without the Sea, Timor-Leste cannot exist. To protect nature with our own hands is to protect our country". I hope the event gave insights to children to think about the waste problems in their own country.

Honestly speaking, Timor-Leste’s waste problem is not only littering but also includes many other issues such as the lack of disposal facilities and recycling companies. However, it is also true that many Timorese people are confronting environmental problems to protect beautiful nature and preserve it for future generations. In addition, I realized that providing a little knowledge and a chance lets children consider environmental issues with open minds. I am still seeking what I can do for this country as a volunteer. However, I would like to keep supporting sustainable development and nature conservation of Timor-Leste, the country born from the crocodile.