Maucale Project

Maucale is a small village in a picturesque part of East Timor about 3 hours drive from the capital, Dili. The village school consists of a 3 classroom building which can’t be used in the wet season and threatens to collapse at any time and 3 tiny classrooms crammed into another building. The school has 258 primary and secondary school children. The building situation means that many of these can’t be schooled at all during the wet season, even with the teachers running two shifts each day. There is a very strong sense of community in the village. One of the teachers who has been there for 21 years said very simply that education is the only chance for their children and is the absolute priority for the villagers.

We are planning to build a new three classroom building. Because the site is better than that of our last school project at Lequeracabu’u, it can be built stronger and to last longer with a steel frame, beams and deeper foundations. Estimates put the cost of the work at US$40,000 – US$50,000 and we are currently in negotiation with two builders. We have raised some of the money and are hoping to raise the rest at the beginning of 2011 so that we can start work when the wet season finishes in March/April. You can make a personal difference by getting involved in supporting this vital project. Contact Spend It Well