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Railaco, Timor Leste
In 2026, Edmund Rice Foundation will re-establish our presence in Timor Leste, returning to communities that have long held a connection to our Edmund Rice network.
As we prepare for this renewed chapter, our priority has been clear: listen deeply to community voices before any programming begins.
Partnering with Timor Unearthed, we consulted families across the Railaco Administrative Post in Ermera Municipality. Through conversations with 454 households, we gained a rich insight into community strengths, daily realities, emerging challenges, and hopes for the future.
What emerged is a powerful picture of resilience, ambition, and clear community priorities for the future.
Families in Railaco are large and deeply interconnected, often spanning multiple generations under one roof. These are strong, resilient family units but, the pressure to provide is constant.
Agriculture is central to community life. Coffee and other cash crops, subsistence farming and livestock are the backbone of local livelihoods. Yet despite the hard work, many families struggle to secure a stable income. Limited access to markets and low profitability mean that farming alone is often not enough.
This uncertainty affects every aspect of life, from food security to education.
Young people in Railaco express a strong desire for education with four out of five young people expressing a desire to continue their education.
But the barriers are real. The cost of schooling, distance and the need to contribute to household income mean that many are forced to leave school early.
For families, it’s often a difficult trade-off between immediate survival and long-term opportunity.
Railaco communities demonstrate a strong drive to improve and a willingness and capacity to work together. Women, men and people living with disabilities are actively included in community life. This social cohesion provides a strong platform for locally driven development.
Looking ahead, communities identified three key priorities:
These needs reflect practical, achievable steps toward greater stability and dignity.
This consultation is more than a data exercise. It’s the beginning of a renewed partnership. As Edmund Rice Foundation returns to Timor-Leste, our work will be guided by what communities have told us matters most, ensuring that future programs are locally led, deeply relevant, and built for long-term impact.
Your support keeps this momentum strong. Every contribution helps communities define their own future with dignity.
