Crijoglo Returns to the Municipality to Create Own Jobs Through Productive Activity

It is not easy to create jobs for yourself, because it requires creative ideas, dedication, hard work, sacrifice a lot of time and various resources. Many challenges will also be encountered during the whole process, there may also be thoughts of not continuing what you have started, because you see that it has not given significant benefits to yourself.

The Progressive Agriculture Movement, abbreviated MAP, was established on February 2, 2020 by 8 young Ainaro students who are studying higher education in Dili and one who will sit in the basic education bench. MAP's current objective is to focus on horticultural productive activities, but in addition to this they also dream to conduct training programs for young people in Ainaro Municipality.

Inácio da Cruz Agape, President of the Progressive Agriculture Movement said, when they studied in Dili, the idea of ​​establishing a local NGO came up, but eventually changed to a movement with the idea of ​​accumulating all farmers.

“We are going with zero, we owe CNJTL Ainaro Post $ 100.00 to buy wood and nails to make a fence around one hectare of land, to plant pacue green, tomatoes, eggplant, ai-manas, kanku rai-maran and others ... We managed to get around $ 4000.00 from the whole activity process” said Inácio da Cruz Agape.

The income they receive, managed to use for the maintenance of MAP's activities, such as buying construction equipment in the yard, doing social activities, distributed among members although only in small proportions, and some land as MAP's capital .

At the beginning of 2021, MAP socialized about their existence, objectives, mission and plans to other young people, so there are 4 young women and 6 men involved in MAP, and at the end of 2021 they registered income amounted to $ 3,400.00, this amount decreased compared to 2020. MAP recognizes that the cause of low income is because many products are damaged in the market and fail in transportation to Dili.

From another point of view, the mandatory confinement really affected MAP's productive activities, because many products could not be sold in the Ainaro market, and the cost of transportation was so high that they decided not to take them to Dili.

Challenges still arise in 2022, where climate change La Niña destroyed their produce in the yard, thus threatening their own horticultural production. A good opportunity for them to continue growing sugarcane products because MAP received panel assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, so it will be able to guarantee the continuation of horticultural activities to get some income from it.

PLAN International supported water tanks and black polyester paralons, as well as sugarcane seeds from MERCY CORPS. The President of the Progressive Agriculture Movement also explained that they never ask for money, and prefer to receive material support.

Currently, the Progressive Agriculture Movement has 19 active members, although some members will study in Dili, but their coordination and support for each other will remain strong, and this will be as a great strength for MAP itself.

MAP member Crijoglo Domingos da Costa said, the first principle of establishing this movement is to awaken the spirit of young people who have finished school to create their own jobs, the second is to motivate young people to be creative and share knowledge with each other .

“Return to each municipality to create jobs for ourselves, do not depend on the Government, do not depend on agencies ... Bring our goods to sell, come to do creative things is better ” said Crijoglo D. da Costa.

The Progressive Agriculture Movement has been conducting training in Public Speaking, Leadership, Organization Management, and Computer Technology for members and youth in Ainaro-Vila. MAP also dreams of establishing an integrated center to easily accumulate young people from four administrative posts in Ainaro Municipality to receive training in various areas.

Young people in each municipality have begun to show their spirit to create their own jobs through productive activities, thus becoming a great opportunity for the people to improve their living conditions and welfare for the state. This opportunity cannot be left to chance, the Government needs to stimulate the initiative of young people to ensure its sustainability, and promote self-employment to create job opportunities in the country, which will reduce the State's dependence on revenues from the Petroleum Fund and also bring young people to work abroad.