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ChildFund Timor-Leste is working with the Alola Foundation to support men in the Liquica District to have better conversations around maternal health so that they can better support mothers giving birth and raise strong, healthy children.

Laurindo and Jorge are two fathers taking part in the MenCare training program. The workshops support men in rural and remote areas to grow their knowledge and develop the leadership skills so they can lead their own forums and talk to their peers about maternal health.

The MenCare program empowers men to talk to their peers about maternal and children’s health care. This involves caring for their wife and child immediately after birth, understanding common children’s illnesses and gender equality in the home. This means sharing domestic duties and caring responsibilities evenly.

One man taking part in the MenCare program.

Jorge is a community leader and runs a saving and loan education program in his village. He took part in the MenCare training so he could confidently start conversations about maternal health with other men in his community.

“In the training sessions we focused on group work and learned about a whole variety of health topics. I really appreciated this and was happy to see that I already knew some of the information they were sharing. After the training, I went back and shared what I had learnt with other men in my community.”

The MenCare training in Liquica.

Jorge explained that this training was helpful because the information supports men in the community to help their partners when they have children and that he can already apply what he learned to his own life.

Laurindo is also a role model in his community, sharing what he knew about maternal and children health with his peers, but he knew there were some gaps in his knowledge. After attending the training, he said that he knew more about gender equality and could see ways to apply this knowledge to his own life.

“When we talked about gender there is a saying that men can do women’s work but there are some things that men can’t do like give birth and breastfeed. But we learned that in every other way, men and women are equal and I agree with that,” said Laurindo.

Laurindo said that this training has strengthened his role as a father.

“I have to be honest and sincere as a father. I play with my kids, play football, tell them stories and sometimes take the kids for a walk. I share my experiences with them, I encourage them to study too.”

Fathers like Jorge and Laurindo play a critical role in breaking down gender barriers and raising awareness for maternal healthcare. Through the MenCare training, they have the skills and confidence to have open conversations about maternal health with other men in their areas.

This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

Long-time ChildFund supporter Robert’s personal experience of growing up in a disadvantaged household has led him to make a difference in the lives of poor children.

“Children feel poverty far more intensely than adults,” the South Australian driving instructor says. “Coming from a fairly poor background myself, I know what it’s like to go without and what it’s like to want something and know that you’re never going to get it.

“I’m in a better situation now, and I want to relieve a child somewhere of that anxiety.”

Robert began sponsoring children through ChildFund more than 28 years ago in 1993, and today supports two children, Erupe and Lilian, from Kenya.

Robert keeps up to date with Erupe and Lilian’s lives and their progress at school through letters. Erupe is at the end of her high school education, but Robert is hoping to help her continue studying.

“She wants to be a teacher,” he says. “I’m hoping to support her through her studies.”

Education, says Robert, can help children like Erupe and Lilian break the cycle of poverty in their families and communities.

“I sponsor children not just to relieve any poverty they are experiencing, but also to help them go to school,” he says.

“Education is important because they will not be able to better themselves unless they are educated.”

Robert says it a responsibility for those who have the means to support children and families in need, to do so. He has a son and a daughter, who also sponsors children.

“We’re wealthy compared to other countries,” Robert says. “I feel we should support those who are less well off.

“I would encourage anybody to sponsor a child. And if they can afford it, I encourage them to sponsor more than one child.

“Through our correspondence with our sponsored children I can see the money is making a difference.” In addition to being a sponsor, Robert has left a gift in his Will to ChildFund. “I believe that I should share this wealth around,” he says.