Featured Business Profile - Garcia Farm

Chicken coops at Garcia Farm in Railaco, Ermera.

At the end of a bumpy and heavily eroding road, across hills, fields and streams, sits the expansive chicken farm Garcia Farm. A few weeks ago,  Peace Dividend Trust's Tender Distribution Service Associate Eduardo da Costa recommended to the Verification team that they take the one and a half hour journey to Railaco, Ermera to see the sight for themselves and create a business profile for it on the BuildingMarkets.org Online Procurement Database.

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PDT Tender Distribution Service Associate Eduardo da Costa walking the rows of chickens.

 With currently 24,000 chickens in the coop, the farm is setting itself up to be the number one supplier of chicken eggs and poultry meat in Timor-Leste. Not to mention it's quite a sight to see. The operation currently employs 21 local laborers, 9 male and 12 female. In addition to these, specialized technicians are flown in from Indonesia every three months to perform the necessary vaccinations and medical treatment needed to keep the chickens healthy.

The Verification team surveys the farm.

The farm has already garnered support from the government, with President Jose Ramos Horta and the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Arboriculture present at the launching ceremony. It has also been invested in by the Indonesian cigarette company, Djarum. 

PDT is currently being funded by AusAid and The Arsenault Family Foundation

Featured Business - Sao Jose Carpintaria

 

Owner Mr. Gagu with his personally crafted product, model Timorese traditional houses.

Located in the small town of Hatolia in the District of Ermera, Mr. Julito Gagu's company Sao Jose Carpintaria supplies the community with carpentry products made from teak wood. However, the normal range of carpentry wares is not all that Mr. Gagu's specializes in assembling; individually constructed models of traditional Timorese houses or uma adat are what makes Gagu's carpentry outfit memorable. 

 

Sao Jose Carpintaria's online profile page on the BuildingMarkets.org Online Procurement Database.

Even though Sao Jose Carpintaria encounters problems faced by many rural business operating in Timor-Leste, such as lack of transport and electricity, the company has already attracted the attention of local buyers. He has been commissioned several times by Hatolia's junior high school to construct model houses to be used as gifts for international donors. An added benefit of collaboration with the school is the assistance in tuition payment that he now receives for his five children.

To learn more of Sao Jose Carpintaria, please visit Peace Dividend Trust's Online Procurement Database, BuildingMarkets.org. To learn more about the Peace Dividend Marketplace - Timor-Leste project, email timor-leste@pdtglobal.org.

Featured Business - Centro Bambu Timor-Leste

Centro Bambu Timor-Leste (CBTL) was founded in 2009 as a group owned carpentry outfit with the innovative approach of using bamboo as the basic working material. With both financial and human resource assistance from the Ministry of Economy and Development and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, CBTL was able to twice send members of the group to India to participate in technical training workshops before its official launch. Currently, the team consists of 18 men and 2 women, all Timorese nationals.

The products range from office tables to flower vases, with a wide assortment in between. To view more detailed contact or product information, visit CBTL’s profile on Peace Dividend Trust’s BuildingMarkets.org online procurement database.

Featured Business - Energia Bio-Briquette

Founded by the Haburas Foundation in 2009, Energia Bio-Briquette directly responds to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ recommendation that trees not be cut down and used for cooking fires in an innovative way. In addition to the construction of stoves,  6 local men from the Haburas Foundation that operate Energia Bio-Briquette produce briquettes from recycled materials that can be used as fuel for cooking fires.

Although the business currently operates on a small scale, it is looking for new ways to develop a distribution network, engage the community and promote its bio-friendly products. Haburas also provides training to the local community and members of the cooperatives, teaching how to construct the stoves and briquettes, as well as helping to develop new methods to improve the quality of their products.

Featured Business - Flower Rosas Batik

Miss Maria Purificacao was a married woman with four children working for the National University of Timor Lorosa’e. To compensate for her limited salary, Ms. Purificacao had the innovative idea to turn her hobby (gardening) into a private enterprise. As a result, Flower Rosas Batik was founded in 1999 and now employs 7 local males.

Through her company, Ms. Purifcacao has gained recognition from the local community, government, and even flower sellers abroad. In 2007, she began importing flowers from Indonesia through her connections and linkages with an Indonesian cooperative; they are now formulating a plan to establish a joint-venture. This year, she was approached by the Secretary of State for Vocation Training and Employment to help raise the local capacity in gardening services. The number of trainees fluctuates anywhere from 10 to 25 people.

PDT’s local procurement database, BuildingMarkets.org, has already brought Flower Rosas Batik extra attention; 10 December 2009, 7 Indonesian travelers (2 government officials and 5 businessmen) visited Ms. Purificacao’s business inquiring how she raises her flowers, constructs the vases, and supplements the soil.

Featured Business - Carpintaria Citra Mandiri, Ermera

On 19 November 2009 PDT's Business Verification Team discovered a new business named Carpintaria Citra Mandiri (Profile found here) in Ermera district.  Recently established this business owned by Ms. Leonica Trindade and makes a range of furniture products.

Baptista Da Silva of PDT takes information from Ms. Trindade, owner of Carpintaria Citra Mandiri

An Indonesian craftsman assiting in training Timorese staff. 

Interestingly this business has started a new development program in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Development, providing carpentry training to local youths interested in the trade. The Ministry has allocated Ms. Leoncia support funds to build a training facility which upon its completion will provide a training ground for their 10 current apprentices. Currently, in addition to the trainees, the enterprise employs 5 national workers, one of which is female, and 5 international males.

Featured Business Profile 4: Companhia Donogi

Companhia Donogi is a new local construction and general services company established by Mr. Venancio Pereira Moniz. Companhia Donogi specialises in general services such as: construction, water canalization, welding and bricklaying.
Mr. Venancio Pereira Moniz makes estimations/quotations for the materials used for construction purposes.

Mr. Venancio also designs homes and locates underground water sources for homes (canalization) to be piped for everyday use.

Mr. Venancio can repair car vehicles and can function as an operator for heavy duty construction vehicles such as tractors and excavators.

COMPANHIA DONOGI
Santa Cruz, Dili – Timor Leste
Hp: +670 731 4981
For English Call 729 0313 (Felix)

Feature 3: Mobile Veteranary Clinic

Have a sick or ailing animal on your hands?

In the past few weeks PDT business surveyors made a discovery.

They found a Dili based Mobile Veteranary Clinic.

It is run by an Antoninho Carmo from Com, Lautem. Carmo is Indonesian educated and Australian trained. He is a qualified vet, uses certified drugs, equipment and on top of it all is a genuinely nice man.

You can call or SMS him on mobile +670 723 3792. You can also view his details online at http://www.buy-in-timor.org/index.php?op=main&sop=DisplayCompany&compid=4717&lastcat=0

Feature 2: The Masterlink Motors Motortruck

Timor-Leste is a poor country but most goods and services are quite expensive. Finding the right kind of transport is a very tough nut to crack for many businesses. Getting goods to the market at a price which is competitive is a very good example of where businesses and farmers struggle to cover costs at a profit. These new motortrucks might be a solution for some in some circumstances: the Motortruck.

The featured business is Masterlink Motors in Audian Dili. For a full profile of the business see its profile on the Timor-Leste Online Procurement Database http://www.buy-in-timor.org/index.php?op=main&sop=DisplayCompany&compid=3866&lastcat=0

Feature 1: Are you in the market for Rattan Furniture?

Grupo Buka Moris Ratan Factory, Suai, 20 April 2008



Look no further, or look as far away, as Suai on the south coast of Timor-Leste.



Marcelino Soares Pinto’s first experience in the furniture industry was in Viqueque in 1972, when as a student he found work with a state furniture production program. His life took a dramatic turn in 1975, when the Indonesian invasion led to him taking to the mountains with the FALINTIL resistance. In 1980, Snr. Marcelinos’ days with the armed resistance were brought to an end when a serious gunshot wound to the leg forced him down from the mountains. By the early 1990s he returned to the furniture industry.



On 4th November 1993, Snr Marcelino opened his rattan furniture business. By 1994 Snr Marcelino was employing 15 young men to help him meet demand. Later, he was able to purchase a generator and machining equipment which enabled him to produce the rattan strips more efficiently, and at the height of its development, Snr Marcelino’s factory was producing four furniture sets (each consisting of four chairs and a table) per day. All this came to an end with the militia violence of 1999, in the course of which Snr Marcelino’s buildings, equipment and materials were completely destroyed.




Snr. Marcelino pictured with the entire tool collection (with the exception of his home-made rattan-stripper) used to keep himself and five employees in business.





On 15th March 2001, Grupo Buka Moris was back in business, and Snr. Marcelino now employes 5 young men. Although Snr. Marcelino has developed some innovative tools out of available resources he has not yet been able to afford a new generator and machinery. In the seven years since reopening his business, most orders have been local and production has not yet exceeded one furniture set every four days. More recently, however, there have been some positive developments. The Peace Divident Trust Micro Matchmaking team based in Covalima have helped to attract orders for Grupo Buka Moris furniture from throughout Timor-Leste, and some items of furniture have even been taken to Australia as samples. He is also excited about an opportunity to pass on some of his skills to young people through the Dom Bosco training program.



Snr. Marcelino demonstrates the strength of his rattan furniture by repeatedly throwing it on the ground. The strength and durability of this rattan furniture means that it can easily survive the roads of Timor-Leste.

To order rattan furniture from Grupo Buku Moris, contact the Peace Dividend Trust Micro Matchmaking team in Suai (Contact Person Antonio Alves, Tel: +670 729 4020).

Three different models of furniture setting are available, each consisting of four chairs and a table. They are priced respectively at $35, $65 and $85.