Kids back Timor youth

FOUR dedicated young local girls are trying to make life easier for kids in East Timor.Twins Ellie and Mollie Travica of Emerald, Kallista’s Elly Robertson and Emma Falconberg of Berwick are raising awareness and cash for better education in the small province of Ermera.For most 11-year-olds a task of such mammoth proportions would be daunting, but not for these girls.The Beaconhills College students formed a group called YES (Youth for East Timor Squad) to help raise awareness and cash for school 20 De Septembro.The girls have raised more than $4000 this year and are putting together a scrapbook of photographs for the students of 20 De Septembro.In the last year of the East Timor guerrilla war, on 20 September 1999, the small school was burnt down.It was re-opened a short time later but struggled under poor conditions with little shelter.In 2003, through the Alola Foundation, Beaconhills College in Berwick became its sister school.Through the school’s fundraising, 20 De Septembro was able to open the first of its classrooms in 2006.The girls became involved in the school while in Grade One and decided to do something more to make a difference.Teacher Carmel Byrne said when the girls started middle school they discovered there was no connection with 20 De Septembro and wanted to change that.“They wanted to pull the school together to support East Timor,” she said.YES was also formed as part of a futures learning and problem solving project. But, for the girls it was about more than just another school project – they wanted to make a difference.The girls have now been nominated as one of five state finalists in the Macquarie Bank Future Problem Solving Program with the winners announced on 19 October.Ellie said they had not only raised cash but spoken about the school’s plight on many occasions.She said the most important part of the project was raising awareness.Mollie said they were also trying to set up a pen pal system with the school but had encountered a few snags.Elly said that so far two school buildings had been rebuilt, but there was still so much more to be done.She said that at least three more buildings needed to be built.The girls said apart from raising cash and awareness, they were hoping to build lasting friendships with 20 De Septembro. (RangesTraderMail)