Dili, 23 April 2026 (Media Democracia) – Aderito de Jesus Barros from Lasaun Village, Atsabe Administrative Post, Ermera Municipality, currently lives in Tasi Tolu looking for a living by collecting scrap cans, he encourages them to strive to make a living.
Aderito de Jesus said he started collecting scrap cans, a dirty and heavy job, but it can give them life so they continue to diligently carry out this activity in their daily lives, even though the income is small, it can provide a living for him and his family.
“I feel sad coming to Dili because the necessities of life are very difficult, as a young person I came with an education and also look at our needs, because in rural areas there is no education, whether you like it or not you have to run to Dili to carry out my studies and use some time to look for scrap cans to sustain daily needs that are required to support my family. That is my intention in coming to Dili for knowledge, because there is none in the mountains, due to necessity I am obliged to carry on my life by walking around collecting scrap cans in Dili. At first my younger sibling called me from the mountains to Dili, I didn’t know what to do when I came, then my sibling said let’s go to Dili to make a living from scrap cans, because necessity forces it and I won’t lose my will.” said Aderito De Jesus Barros in Tibar.
He further affirmed that the work is hard, even though he doesn’t get much money, getting a little money shows that a person who strives for life, even though the work of collecting scrap cans is simplr, can become a way to help the family’s daily needs.
“When I first came to Dili I lived in Tasi Tolu to carry out business activities, my intention in coming here was to choose two paths: if I get into university level then I continue school and do business. If I don’t get in I still choose scrap cans. Today I’ve managed to keep the learning process going and at night I continue to collect scrap cans, but we only use the night time because at night we feel free to go around Dili to collect scrap cans. Like I said, we collect scrap cans at night that people throw away. If one day I have the initiative to build a kiosk, I still lack it because it’s my own effort from the cans collected and put together to one day start kiosk activities. But it’s a micro business. When there are two things, if you choose one, the other must rest. Because education has no limits for anyone it just depends on our needs. From defamation against us, the reality is sometimes when we collect scrap cans, some people reject us that’s nothing, that’s our life. Don’t lose will because the feelings of human beings are not the same; some have it and some don’t. These two things always go together. From the income of collecting scrap cans, the price is $.05 cents that’s not enough for ourselves let alone for family, that’s a bit hard.” Aderito explained.
He informed and asked the government how to make a good plan to get the people out of vulnerability, although it’s not just me, but I represent all of them, to the vulnerable, first don’t lose will and keep fighting, I ask the youth to keep defending each one’s own.
Report By: Trainee Baquita
Photo By: Trainee Baquita