Together, Timor-Leste, UNICEF and FCDO strengthen health system, nutrition and nurturing care for children

DILI, Timor-Leste, 27 August 2026 - The Government of Timor-Leste, with UNICEF and support from the United Kingdom through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has successfully completed the Children's Health, Nutrition and Nurturing Care Enhancement in Timor-Leste (CHANCE-TL) programme, strengthening community-based nutrition services.

Through the initiative, more than 7,000 children were reached, and 112 mother support groups and 86 health workers in Baucau and Viqueque municipalities have gained enhanced skills to provide nutrition counselling, conduct regular screening for acute malnutrition, support referrals for treatment, and promote recommended feeding practices for infants and young children. The programme also supported national dialogue on strengthening food systems and improving diets for children during the critical first 1,000 days of life and has improved referral pathways between communities and health services.

Despite our progress, child malnutrition remains one of the greatest barriers to children’s health, learning and future opportunities in Timor-Leste. The CHANCE Project has strengthened our national efforts to address malnutrition, and its evidence and lessons must continue to guide our policies, investments and actions for a healthier future for every child,” says Executive Director, Conselho Nacional de Segurança e Soberania Alimentar e Nutricional de Timor-Leste (CONSSAN-TL), Komar Mendonca.

The project also strengthened the systems that support children, including improving community referral pathways, enhancing nutrition data collection, advancing national dialogue on food systems, and generating new evidence to inform planning and services for children.

“Through this partnership, communities have been better equipped to identify and support children at risk of malnutrition, helping more children get the care they need at the right time. The systems, evidence and local capacity built through CHANCE-TL provide a strong foundation for Timor-Leste to continue improving g nutrition outcomes and giving every child the opportunity to survive, thrive and reach their full potential,” said Peter Rajadiston, UK Minister Counsellor (Development) to Indonesia.

“This project has shown that when communities are equipped with the right knowledge and support, children can have a healthier start in life,” said Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Timor-Leste Representative. “By strengthening community nutrition services and generating vital evidence to better protect vulnerable children, we have helped lay the foundation for lasting change that will benefit children and families well beyond the life of this project.”

As the CHANCE-TL programme concludes, the Government of Timor-Leste, UNICEF and the United Kingdom reaffirm their shared commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to survive, thrive and reach their full potential.                              ###      
 

For further information, please contact:
• British Embassy Jakarta: Head of Communications, Jeff Matthewman, +628118515 536, Acting Deputy Head of Communications, Marzia Firani, +628119044741
• UNICEF Timor-Leste Communications Specialist, Lisa Hill, [email protected], +67077231103

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Tetun:

Hamutuk, Timor-Leste, UNICEF no Governu Reinu Unidu hametin sistema saúde, nutrisaun no kuidadu ba labarik sira.

DILI, Timor-Leste, 27 Augostu 2026 - Governu Timor-Leste, ho UNICEF no apoiu husi Reinu Unidu liuhusi Gabinete Estranjeiru, Komunidade no Dezenvolvimentu (FCDO), kompleta ona ho susesu programa Haforsa Saude, Nutrisaun no Kuidadu Nutrisaun Labarik iha Timor-Leste (CHANCE-TL), hodi tulun hametin servisu nutrisaun bazeia ba komunidade.

Liuhusi inisiativa ne'e, labarik liu na’in 7.000 hetan ona apoiu. Aleindé ne’e, Grupu Apoiu Inan hamutuk 112 no profesionál  saúde na’in 86 iha munisípiu Baucau no Viqueque aumenta ona sira-nia koñesimentu no kapasidade atu fo akonsellamentu kona-ba nutrisaun, halo rastreiu regulár ba malnutrisaun aguda, apoiu referénsia ba tratamentu no promove prátika alimentasaun ne'ebé rekomenda ba bebé no labarik sira. Programa ne'e mós fó apoiu ba diálogu nasionál kona-ba reforsa sistema ai-han no hadi'a dieta ba labarik sira durante loron 1,000 nia laran no hadi'a ona estratéjia referál entre komunidade no servisu saúde sira.

Maski ita halo ona progresu importante iha tinan barak, malnutrisaun labarik sai nafatin hanesan obstákulu boot ida ba saúde, aprendizájen no opórtunidade labarik sira nian iha futuru. “Projetu CHANCE fornese ona ita-nia servisu nasionál atu responde ba malnutrisaun, no evidénsia no lisaun husi projetu ne’e tenki kontinua orienta ita-nia polítika, investimentu no asaun sira atu asegura futuru ne’ebé saudável liutan ba labarik hotu-hotu," hateten Diretór Ezekutivu Konsellu Nasionál ba Seguransa no Soberania Alimentár no Nutrisionál Timor Leste (CONSSAN-TL), Komar Mendonça.

Projetu ne'e mós reforsa sistema sira ne'ebé suporta labarik sira, inklui hadi'a estratéjia referál komunidade nian, hasa'e kolesaun dadus nutrisaun nian, promove diálogu nasionál kona-ba sistema ai-han nian no kria evidénsia foun sira atu informa planeamentu no servisu ba labarik sira.

"Liuhusi parseria ida-ne'e, komunidade sira hetan ekipamentu di'ak liu atu identifika no suporta labarik sira ne'ebé iha risku ba malnutrisaun, ajuda labarik barak liu atu hetan kuidadu ne'ebé sira presiza iha tempu ne'ebé loos. Sistema, evidénsia no kapasidade lokál sira ne'ebé harii liuhusi CHANCE-TL fó fundasaun ida-ne'ebé forte ba Timor-Leste atu kontinua hadi'a rezultadu nutrisaun no fó oportunidade ba labarik hotu-hotu atu moris, hetan susesu no atinji sira-nia potensialidade tomak," dehan Peter Rajadiston, Ministru Dezenvolvimentu Reinu Unidu ba Indonesia.

"Projetu ida-ne'e hatudu katak bainhira komunidade sira iha koñesimentu no apoiu ne'ebé loos, labarik sira bele hahú moris ne'ebé saudavel liu," dehan Patrizia DiGiovanni, Reprezentante UNICEF Timor-Leste. "Liuhusi hametin servisu nutrisaun komunitáriu nian no hamosu evidénsia importante atu proteje labarik sira ne'ebé vulneravel liu, ami apoiu ona atu harii fundasaun ba mudansa ne'ebé sei fó benefísiu ba labarik no família sira ne'ebé la hola parte iha projetu ne'e."

Hanesan programa CHANCE-TL konklúi, Governu Timor-Leste, UNICEF no Reinu Unidu nafatin iha kompromisu atu harii progresu ne'ebé hetan ona, hodi asegura katak labarik hotu-hotu, maske iha fatin ne'ebé sira hela, iha asesu ba nutrisaun, kuidadu no apoiu ne'ebé presiza atu bele sai boot no hetan susesu.

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Ba informasaun kle’an, favór kontaktu Mídia no Komunikasaun Embaixada Britániku iha Jakarta:
Xefi Komunikasaun – Jeff Matthewman +62 811 8515 536
Adjunta Interina Xefi Komunikasaun - Marzia Firani +62 8119044741
Lisa Hill, Espesialista Komunikasaun UNICEF [email protected], +67077231103