Investment Budget Execution Support for Rural Infrastructure Development and Employment Generation (TIM Works) Project - Norway (Timor-Leste)

The 2006 Timor-Leste and Development Partners Meeting displayed the commitment of the Government to promote accelerated economic growth under its Combating Poverty as a National Cause Plan, and progress towards the objectives defined by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in areas related with the Eradication of Extreme Poverty, and the Development and Implementation of Strategies for Decent and Productive Work.

Project description

The Government Investment Plan is now more pertinent and urgent than ever. The crisis that meanwhile shook the people and structures of Timor-Leste is very much the consequence of an economy growing slower than people expectations. The limited access of young Timorese to employment opportunities, has led to a situation of deep frustration, which has been expressing itself in the violent and destructive acts of the past weeks. On the other hand, the crisis itself delayed the Government capacity to launch and implement its planned actions, which further exacerbates the dramatic situation of the country.

Against this backcloth, the TIM-Works Project (Projektu TIM Hamutuk) will contribute to break the tremendous traditional vicious circle of instability preventing development, which generates further social unrest. It will represent a short-term bridge between the ongoing emergency humanitarian response and the medium-term development initiatives like the future EC Rural Development Programme II and the Government Investment Plan itself.

Project strategy

The TIM-Works Project will provide short-term employment opportunities to 36,000 beneficiaries, creating a total of 540,000 workdays in all 13 districts of Timor-Leste, decreasing the demographic pressure on Dili and easing the burden placed on rural households still hosting IDPs. The Project will promote a Labour Based approach, making intensive use of workforce and limiting investments in equipments and materials.

Activities will be identified through a community-driven process, involving local authorities at the district, sub-district, village, and sub-village levels. Considering the Project strategy to use rural infrastructure related works as an opportunity to create employment, the core range of activities will focus on rural roads repair/rehabilitation, irrigation canals cleaning and restoration, grass cutting and drainage cleaning of national and district roads, and rehabilitation of sport sites. As mentioned above, other activities will be identified and selected based on concrete proposals from the communities.

Youth will be a priority target of the TIM-Works Project, but other vulnerable groups like women, members of displaced households, dismissed military personnel, veterans, and etc, will also benefit.

The Project will be executed by UNDP/ILO, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion, and articulating with the Ministry of Public Works and Agriculture.

A specific computerized Management Information System will be developed, in order to enable appropriate Project management, monitoring, and evaluation, and to provide permanently updated information for reporting to donors and stakeholders.