The Government, through the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing’s “Decent Housing” programme, is rebuilding 46 traditional houses in Loro hamlet, Suai Loro village, Covalima Municipality, to preserve local cultural identity and improve the living conditions of the population. 

The Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing promotes the intervention, under the supervision of Vice Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino, and forms part of public policies to support community housing and enhance cultural heritage.

Traditional houses, known in Tetum Terik (local language) as “Laleo Masin”, are built from local materials and using traditional techniques. Many of these dwellings were built several years ago, and some were no longer in adequate condition, prompting their reconstruction.

“As a community leader and beneficiary, I am delighted and grateful to the Government, particularly the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Housing, for implementing the Laleo Masin house reconstruction programme in our hamlet,” said Ana Barros, Chief of Loro Hamlet.

One of the residents, Agusto da Costa, said the programme benefits the entire community of Loro hamlet, where most residents live in traditional houses. He added that, over the years, some houses had fallen into disrepair, so the Ministry’s intervention enabled the rehabilitation of the existing structures.

The new generation of the Loro hamlet believes that the programme helps to preserve the heritage inherited from their ancestors, keeping cultural identity alive among younger generations.

According to a technician from the Directorate-General for Housing, of the 46 houses planned, construction began in January, and 12 have been completed to date, with the remainder scheduled for completion this year.

“The traditional houses measure 7×6 metres, and all the materials used are local, with no modern materials being used,” explained the Director-General.