East Timor Women Australia facts for kids

East Timor Women Australia (ETWA) is a group that helps women in East Timor. It's a non-government organisation, which means it's not run by the government. ETWA works from the ground up to support women and their communities.

What is East Timorese Tais?

One main way ETWA helps is by supporting women who make traditional handicrafts. They work with local groups like the Taibesi Cooperative and Cooperativa Tais Timor (CTT). These groups get tais from weavers in towns and villages.

Tais are special woven cloths from East Timor. Making them takes a lot of skill. The patterns on tais have deep cultural meanings. These designs are often passed down from mothers to daughters. The patterns can look very different across the country.

How Tais is Made

Weavers make tais using back-strap looms. A harness sits on the weaver's lower back to keep the threads tight. Long ago, tais were made from cotton grown and spun locally. Today, many weavers also use cotton from other places.

Groups like CTT and Taibesi are also using tais in new ways. They create other products to sell, which helps them reach more customers.

Why Tais is Important for Women

ETWA supports the tais handicraft industry because it helps women earn money. This allows them to support themselves and their families. It also helps them keep their cultural heritage alive.

When women can earn their own money, it can make them stronger. It gives them more opportunities in their communities. This support also helps many women who faced hardship in the past. It gives them a way to support themselves using their amazing skills.

About the ETWA Organisation

ETWA is a group run by its members and volunteers. It also has a part-time coordinator. The organisation started in 2004. It was created by students who were interested in helping communities. Some of them had worked to support East Timor before it became independent in 1999.

ETWA has an office in Melbourne, Australia. It also has groups in other areas like the Dandenong Ranges, Gippsland, and the Northern Territory. The organisation gets its money from membership fees, donations, and fundraising events.

What Does ETWA Do?

Besides helping CTT and the Taibesi Cooperative sell their products overseas, ETWA does other things.

Education and Partnerships

• They are creating a program to teach about social justice in schools.
• They work with students from the University of New South Wales on design projects.
• They speak up for the community.
• In 2005, ETWA worked with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Globalism Institute. They held a conference called Challenges and Possibilities. This event helped groups working with women in East Timor talk to each other.
• In 2007, ETWA helped with a health study about the health of Timorese weavers.
• The organisation also has a strong connection with the Cooperative Studies Centre in Dili, East Timor.

ETWA is mentioned in a book called Reluctant Saviour by Clinton Fernandes. The book highlights ETWA as a good example of working together for lasting development in East Timor.