Atauro, 15 July 2026, UNICEF handed over a solar power system and improved water and sanitation facilities in Vila Maumeta, Atauro, to the Government of Timor-Leste under a KOICA-funded project -‘Climate Action for the Last Mile: Reaching the Most Vulnerable Children’ programme.
The upgrades benefit the community health centre, school and community centre, helping to provide more reliable services for children and families. The project addresses long-standing challenges caused by unreliable electricity on Atauro Island. The new solar system provides continuous power for healthcare, education, and community services, while improved water and sanitation facilities support healthier, safer conditions.
“We are already seeing the excitement this project has brought to our community. Our people are proud to see these improvements become a reality and are hopeful about what this means for the future. Reliable electricity and water access and better public services give our children and families greater opportunities to thrive,” says Mateus Belo, President of the Administrative Authority of Atauro.
“These investments are especially important in Timor-Leste, where floods, droughts, and other climate-related hazards continue to disrupt essential services. By making schools, health facilities, and water systems more climate-resilient, we are helping children and families continue to access these services, even during emergencies,“ says Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Timor-Leste Country Representative.
“This project is more than the handover of infrastructure. It is an investment in healthier communities, stronger families, and brighter futures for the children of Timor-Leste. KOICA remains committed to working with the Government of Timor-Leste and UNICEF to build more resilient communities,” says Youn Hwa Kang, Director of KOICA Timor-Leste.
These investments will help communities cope with the effects of climate change, including floods and droughts, while ensuring continued access to essential services. Reliable electricity will support vaccine storage, healthcare delivery and learning, while reducing dependence on costly and unreliable power sources.
This project is implemented in four priority municipalities in the country: Dili (Hera), Atauro, Lautem and Viqueque.
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For more information, please contact:
KOICA Media Contact:
- Hyesung Yun, KOICA Project Manager – +670 78339710; Email Address – yunhyesung@koica.go.kr (English)
- Francisco Sarmento Xavier Soares, KOICA Assistant Manager – +670 333-1525; Email Address – fransxas@koica.go.kr (Tetun)
UNICEF Media Contact:
Lisa Hill, Communication, Advocacy and Partnerships Specialist, UNICEF Timor-Leste,
Mobile phone +670 77231103, Email – lhill@unicef.org (English)
- Dominggus Monemnasi, Communication Officer, UNICEF Timor-Leste,
Mobile phone/WA: +67077240601; Email – dmonemnasi@unicef.org (Tetu