Two Teachers Supported in Ossu

The contract supporting two teachers by Willoughby Friends of Ossu (WFOO) at Olocassa School means that WFOO funds enable greater learning outcomes for students. Further funds also provide for laboratory equipment, printers and computers. Well done team!

Student Scholarships

WFOO in 2023 also support numerous secondary school students with scholarships in Ossu enabling them to stay at school and finish their education. Investing in education is a major goal of WFOO.

WFOO continue to fund a teacher trainee at the Baucau Teachers College who will eventually be qualified to teach in Ossu.

Sanitation

Olocassa School’s sanitation was in need of a major upgrade and has been funded by WFOO in various stages and completed in 2023.

Ossu Teacher Visits Sydney

WFOO’s exchange program enables Memensio, a senior teacher from Timor Leste, to visit Sydney and learn from placements with secondary schools in the Willoughby area including Willoughby Girls High, Marist North Sydney, Glenaeon and Castle Cove Primary.

Steve is a member of the Willoughby Friends of Ossu, and is also a volunteer exchange English teacher at Olocassa Secondary School most recently in 2022. Steve has a love of music.

This clip is of secondary school students at Canossa Colege (Escola Secondaria Santa Madelena de Canossa) singing I am a Child Of Timor (Ha’u Timor Oan).

Steve sometimes uses music as a means to teach the kids English, finding suitable songs that help provide an understanding of English sentence structure.

His trip has been made possible, partly by ClubsGRANTS Funding from Chastwood RSL club, as well as funds raised by the Friends.

Although we are yet to be able to visit each other we remain in close contact and continue to progress a number of projects, and help where we can from afar.

Health Clinic Donation

We continue to support the Ossu Health Clinic, and they have recently been able to secure additional preventative essential COVID 19 supplies.

Book Publishing – Manual de Resumo’ de Bilogia

Memensio Sequeira Freitas, a professor at the General Secondary School of Olocassa Ossu and Joa da Costa professor at the Sao Pedro School in Dill launched the Biology Summary Manual for High School.

Published in Timor- Leste this book has been written in Portuguese and covers a broad spectrum of biology topics for secondary school students including biodiversity, evolution, and classification.

The Willougby Friends of Ossu are pleased to support this publication through the donation of funds to produce copies for local schools.

Teacher Exchange Program Update

We were ready for the 2020 Ossu teacher to leave in March, but due to Covid 19 this has been postponed to next year. The health and safety of our friends in Ossu remains most important.

The Friendship Book “Friends across the Timor Sea: A history of Friendship Groups” has been published. The 70 page book was showcased by Ambassador Abel Guterres during an official reception in Melbourne, as part of his State Visit June 2019. Copies of the book have be distributed to the 35 active Friendship Groups, and we are delighted to be part of it.

Great to see all the projects underway. Collaboration by the Australian Timor-Leste Friendship Network Inc, State Government Victoria, and Australian Embassy Timor-Leste.

If you would like to see a copy please join us at one of our meetings or get in contact with the team.

In March 2019 Constancio joined us from our Timor- Leste’s teacher exchange program selected from teachers in Ossu. This program is an exchange of ideas and teaching methodologies, with Constancio taking part in school visits, discussion, English language learning and understanding of Australian culture.

His visit included highlights like meeting the teachers and students at Castle Cove Public School & Willoughby Girls High School, discussions with Willoughby Mayor, Gail Giles-Gidney, a trip to UNSW and tours of our beautiful environment like the Manly headland and Centennial Park.

We were also fortunate to share the local Fauna Fair with Constancio, where the Friends of Ossu took the opportunity to share the message of our work together in Timor Leste, and gather support.

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