I’ve just returned from an unforgettable week in Timor-Leste, where I had the opportunity to volunteer with Rotary as part of their ongoing Water & Sanitation Project. This was my second trip (my first was in 2019) — and it was both humbling and eye-opening to see how far the project has come, while also realising how much work still lies ahead.
The communities we visited have no running water, and many have no electricity. Showers are taken with a bucket of water, and daily life looks vastly different from what we know in Australia — despite Timor-Leste being just a 1 hour and 20 minute flight from Darwin. Speaking with locals and learning about their way of life was deeply moving. Many children walk over an hour each way to get to school, and women often travel long distances to collect water from mountain springs. With families often having 6–12 children, one water tank shared between 20 families can mean supplying water to over 200 people.
The main goal of our trip was to inspect and assess the water tanks and toilet blocks that Rotary had installed on previous visits and to test the water quality for pH levels and minerals such as iron, lead, copper, nitrate, and nitrite. During our community meetings, residents shared how the tanks have benefited them and discussed additional needs, from more tanks and polypipe from springs to guttering and toilet blocks. I’m pleased to share that every water sample we tested came back clean and safe to drink.
Over the week, we travelled by 4WD through rough mountain tracks to reach 10 remote villages around Baguia. Some roads were so rocky it took an hour to travel just 10km! The journeys were challenging, but every community welcomed us with incredible warmth — often greeting us with a song or a handmade tais (beautiful woven scarves that take around 80 hours to make). Each visit ended with a shared lunch of local produce: rice, sweet potato, taro, cassava, greens, and chicken. These gestures of hospitality that deeply touched us all.
We also ran two WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) training sessions with the local nurse, teaching students how to properly wash their hands with soap — a small but vital practice for community health. Later in the week, I spent time at St Joseph’s School, helping teach English to Year 9–12 students. They were so eager to learn and practise their English with a fluent speaker, which made the experience even more rewarding.
A special thank you to Mana Leo, Principal of St Joseph’s School in Baguia, for her incredible leadership and support. She plays a key role in both this project and the With One Seed Project, and her passion for her community is truly inspiring.
During the trip, we also had the chance to attend a WithOneSeed meeting. Co-founded by Mana Leo’s late husband, WithOneSeed is a community forestry initiative that helps farmers reforest their land while delivering significant environmental and economic benefits. Farmers are paid 50 cents per tree per year, with some managing anywhere from 50 to 20,000 trees. To ensure accurate payments, local Timorese are employed for six months each year to visit villages and count the trees.
One of the most memorable moments came when we were high up in the mountains and it suddenly began to rain — the first rainfall since July. The Timorese people told us it was a sign that the ancestors were welcoming us, and it also meant the tanks could finally start filling again. The drive back down was an adventure of its own — the dirt roads quickly turned to mud, and our car slid more than once, but we made it safely thanks to Marcel our driver!
With no phone connection and being completely off grid, it was refreshing to disconnect from the fast-paced world in Melbourne and reconnect with the people and nature of Timor in such a grounded, meaningful way. This trip was challenging, rewarding, and deeply meaningful. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to volunteer with Rotary and be part of a project that continues to make a tangible difference in people’s lives — and to have shared it with such passionate and dedicated individuals.
Grace Docherty
Your help is needed! Volunteers are required for the following event. Please check available slots and book yourself directly online by clicking 
