The Camea community, in Becora, has public toilets
“After more than eight hours inside the bus we can finally arrive at the terminal and use a public toilet in good and proper conditions”, stated Marta dos Santos, a mother of four who lives in Los Palos but is currently in Dili for a medical consultation and depends on the Terminal to return to her home. The Camea Terminal, in Becora is responsible for all buses traveling from Dili to the east cities such as Baucau, Los Palos and Manatuto and receives an average of 150 people daily.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) with the support of UNDP’s Strengthening Early Recovery for Comprehensive and Sustainable Reintegration of IDPs (SERC) project provided public toilets and a water tank to the community of Camea.
The inauguration event was conducted on October 15th, Global Hand-washing Day, in the presence of the Chief of Department for the Disabled and Elderly from the Secretary of State for Social Assistance and Natural Disasters, Mr. Mateus da Silva, a Representative from the National Directorate of Land Transportation from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Mr. José Henrique da Silva, UNDP Assistant Country Director and Head of Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit, Ms. Alissar Chaker, and SERC Project Manager, Mr. Paul Tyndale.
In his remarks, Mr. Mateus da Silva thanked the MSS and UNDP for the construction of the pubic toilets. “I am happy to participate in this inauguration and to see that the situation in the community is now stable and the people are concerned not only with the community but with others who depend on the terminal to travel, I am also satisfied to see that the people with disabilities were considered and the facilities can support their needs”, he stated.
The Camea Terminal was a major area of conflict in 2006 and there was a great amount of infrastructure damaged in the area, including houses burnt down and water systems damaged.
“Today is a very practical day to celebrate the inauguration of this public toilets and I really hope that this project will improve directly the people living in this community but also men, women and children who use this Terminal to travel ”, stated Ms. Chaker in her remarks.
The public toilets were completed recently, following a period of consultation with community groups. This infrastructure will benefit around 1200 people, 144 of which were former IDPs and also travelers from the east side of the country. Since the beginning of 2010, a total of 9 projects have been completed by SERC and MSS and handed over to the communities.
“Today is the day we celebrate the Global Hand-washing Day, so the timing couldn’t be better to inaugurate this public toilets which will help the promotion of heath and hygiene of the people living in this community but also to the people who depend on the Camea Terminal”, stated Mr. Tyndale.
