Friends of Suai Covalima

For over 24 years we have had a formal commitment to support our friendship with Suai, Covalima East Timor.

Since 2000, we have had a formal commitment to support our friendship between communities in Port Phillip and Suai, Covalima in East Timor.

Through the Friends of Suai/Covalima, we are doing all we can to assist the people of Suai in their efforts to claim a new future. In the spirit of friendship, people from both communities are working together to create opportunities for development throughout the district of Covalima.

Support and funding are provided to the Covalima Community Centre in Suai to implement community development programs, with a strong focus on education, health, gender equality, livelihoods and sustainability.

To keep up to date with the latest Friends of Suai/Covalima news, follow the Friends of Suai on Facebook or subscribe to the e-newsletter via Get involved, donate or contact us links below.

Friends of Suai news

To keep up to date with Friends of Suai activities and events, sign up online.

Covalima Community Centre in Suai

Friends of Suai work in partnership with the Covalima Community Centre in Suai to meet the aims and objectives of the Friendship Agreement and to ensure the friendship pursues best practice in international development.

The CCC is a highly professional, inclusive community hub located in the town of Suai in the district of Covalima. Their work is guided by their vision to ‘build a community in which everyone has the opportunity to develop their capacities so that they can contribute to the social and economic development of the Municipality of Covalima, Timor-Leste’. Through accessible education, inclusion training and women’s skill-building sessions, the CCC is helping to create a supportive and resilient community.

Friends of Suai provide mentoring and support and raise funds for the Covalima Community Centre to ensure they can continue to implement community development programs and initiatives which benefit people throughout the district of Covalima. Funds are raised through community donations and fundraising events in Port Phillip.

Donations by credit card can be made on our Give Now appeal page.

For more information on ways to donate, or for more information about the program, please contact us via the Get involved, donate or contact us links below.

Scholarship program

Since 2012, the Friends of Suai has raised funds to provide scholarships for students to continue their education at vocational training colleges and tertiary institutes in Timor-Leste.

The scholarship program provides educational opportunities for students from disadvantaged families and encourages gender equity. Students are provided with pastoral care and encouragement through their studies and the program has had extremely high levels of completion.

Donations are needed to fund new and ongoing scholarships. Donations by credit card can be made on our Give Now appeal page.

For information about the program or other ways to donate, please contact us via the Contact us, get involved or donate links below.

Get involved or donate

Friends of Suai Covalima is a relationship that goes beyond the usual concept of financial aid. It connects the community in the City of Port Phillip with the community of Suai in order to enrich and enhance the lives of all involved. The participation of the community is key to the success of the friendship.

Get involved by volunteering your time, making a donation, attending our events and joining our mailing list.

All funds donated to Friends of Suai will support development activities implemented by the Covalima Community Centre in Suai.

Donate to Friend of Suai via Give Now

Further information

Our longstanding relationship with the coastal town of Suai in Covalima district, Timor-Leste was formed in response to the community’s concern around the mass destruction and killings that occurred after the vote for independence in 1999. In response to this concern, a friendship was developed between the Port Phillip and Covalima communities.
This friendship builds upon close links forged between our two nations from the time of the Second World War. This enduring relationship is reflected in the many important exchanges between people in our two communities, with people from Suai visiting our city, and our local community members visiting Timor-Leste to share experience and learn from one another.
The concept for the relationship emerged in 1999 when members of the Port Phillip community and Council expressed a desire to:
- Establish a friendship relationship with a small coastal town or village for a period of ten years
- Develop community links between the City of Port Phillip and the identified community in Timor-Leste
- Coordinate fundraising activities to support that community
- Share the skills of Council staff
On 31 January 2000 the establishment of a partnership with the town of Suai was approved. Timor-Leste's leader, Xanana Gusmao, visited the City of Port Phillip on 4 May 2020 and along with the City of Port Phillip Councillors, signed the following Statement of Friendship:
"In a spirit of friendship and cooperation between the citizens of Suai and the Citizens of Port Phillip, this Statement of Friendship sets out our understanding and intent. We, the signatories of this statement, affirm the development of a ten-year relationship between the elected representatives of Suai and Port Phillip, based on friendship and mutual respect.
The fundamental principle of this agreement is to recognise and promote the right of East Timorese people and the residents of Suai to manage their own destiny. We agree to work together to achieve this end, whilst respecting each other’s cultural heritage and customs."
The Friendship was formally extended for a further ten years in 2010 and then again in 2020.

Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan 2020-25 revised 2022 (3.3 MB)

Newsletters

Annual reports

Contact us

The Friends of Suai Covalima Coordinator is here to help.

Send us a message on My Port Phillip.

Phone: 03 9209 6598 [phone number should be a clickable link, ask for help if you're not sure how to do this]