Looking for a Change?

Subject: Seeking assistance to find a volunteer to help establish a Tetun language library in rural East Timor

My name is Daniel Gilfillan, from Palms Australia. Palms is a volunteer sending agency who have been sending skilled volunteers to the Asia-Pacific and Africa for almost 50 years. We have a request from rural East Timor for a librarian or teacher-librarian to assist one of the local government bodies there to set up a library. I am hoping that you can send some information through your network so we can attract a suitably qualified person who would be interested in living in East Timor for two years working with a local committee to establish a library.

I've included a summary of the position below, in case you can pass on this information through your networks. As you would be aware East Timor has a very low literacy rate, and rural areas are particularly disadvantaged. One local government body has identified that a Tetun language library would be of great benefit to their community, encouraging an enthusiasm for reading in young people, in a country where books are not widely available, particularly books in a language that the children speak. They have asked Palms Australia to look for a volunteer to support the building of a Tetun language library to combat illiteracy.

If you think you would be interested in contributing two years of your time and expertise to assist the local committee to establish a library, including training staff, developing library systems and reading programs, and coordinating the building a physical library, or if you would like further information please contact Palms (daniel@palms.org.au / christine@palms.org.au or visit our website: www.palms.org.au).

Kind Regards,
Daniel Gilfillan
daniel@palms.org.au
02.9518.9551