Dili, 25-26 March 2024 – The Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste (CVTL) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) convened a two-day Lesson Learned Workshop on the Chronic Crisis Project in Dili. The event brought together key stakeholders to assess project achievements, challenges, and lessons learned in strengthening disaster preparedness and response capacities across vulnerable municipalities for climate related hazards.
Timor-Leste faces on-going environmental, socio-economic, and climatic threats, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities. The Chronic Crisis Project, implemented under IFRC’s Strategic Priority 2: Evolving Crises and Disasters, aims to enhance CVTL’s technical and operational capacities, particularly in Shelter, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). The project has been active in Covalima, Dili, Viqueque, Baucau, Atauro, and Oecusse RAEOA, regions frequently impacted by flooding and drought.
As the project nears completion, the workshop served as a platform to reflect on progress, evaluate key milestones, and identify areas for improvement. CVTL Secretary General, Mr. Luis Pedro Pinto, expressed gratitude to IFRC for its continuous support and emphasized the importance of using the findings to enhance future humanitarian responses. IFRC CCD representative, Ms. Tetty Marlina Rajagukguk, outlined the workshop’s objectives, including reviewing project outcomes, identifying best practices, and formulating recommendations for future programming.
The workshop employed a combination of presentations, focus group discussions, and plenary sessions, engaging 31 participants (14 female, 17 male) from CVTL’s senior management team, selected coordinators, officers, and volunteers. The discussions highlighted the project’s successes in strengthening CVTL’s capacity, as well as operational and administrative challenges encountered.
Facilitated by the Chronic Crisis Project team from CVTL, along with IFRC CCD Jakarta representatives Ms. Tetty Marlina, Ms. Rosalynd, and Ms. Florensia Malau, the workshop successfully consolidated key lessons to inform the project’s final report. Participants also formulated actionable follow-up steps to sustain and build upon the progress achieved.
Chronic Crisis Project (April 2023- March 2025) is funded WITH THE BLOCK ALLOCATION FUNDING OF THE NETHERLANDS MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MoFA) AND THE NETHERLAND RED CROSS (NLRC) . The workshop reaffirmed CVTL’s commitment to delivering timely and effective humanitarian assistance in the face of chronic and emerging crises in Timor-Leste.
