Young leader drives water conservation through Nature-based Solution
Etelvina’s dedication to improving water resources in Ermera
“Based on what I have learned, these natural structures will help protect and improve our water sources over time. I hope that by building them this year, we will begin to see the benefits next year or within the next two years,” says Etelvina, an inspiring young adult living in the sub-village of Tuileso in Ermera municipality.
She emphasizes how important the project is, especially for keeping water supplies sustainable.
Etelvina’s dedication to advancing water resource solutions in her community is evident through her active involvement in community-based water catchment management initiatives.
After attending a Training of Trainers (ToT) session supported by the McCusker Charitable Foundation and UNICEF Australia, she has taken up the role of ‘Chief of Group’ in Tuileso sub-village. In this position, she manages about 20 community members in constructing terraces and natural check dams. This is an achievement Etelvina is proud of, as her leadership helps the group finish the Nature-based Solution (NbS) structures in only six days.
Etelvina also highlighted the importance of nature-based solutions for both her and the Tuileso community. In addition to improving water retention in the ground, terraces help reduce the risk of landslides. Furthermore, the Tuileso community has already planned to plant food-bearing trees, such as bananas and pineapples, on the terraces and natural check dams during the next wet season. This initiative will help sustain the NbS structures while providing fruit for daily consumption and for sale in nearby markets; during the rainy season, they will sell in Dili.
As the leader of her group, Etelvina is responsible for bringing the community members together to build nature-based solutions. She says that in this role, she must ensure everyone feels motivated and ready to participate.
The success of the nature-based construction solutions we see today has demonstrated that Etelvina is capable of leading the Tuileso community in implementing these solutions. One of the challenges faced by the Tuileso community is the low participation of youth in the project, mainly due to their school commitments. In the future, she hopes that more young people will become actively involved in such activities. She also mentioned that she will continue to monitor all the structures to ensure their durability and prevent damage.
Etelvina is a young change-maker who not only dreams of a better future but also takes real action to tackle water scarcity.
