Want to Minimize Ayam Potong and Do Not Want to Destroy Local Chickens in Timor

Dependence on imports is a problem that Timor-Leste is now facing, this situation can be confirmed in the reality of everyday life, through visits to everywhere from the capital to rural areas most of the kiosks and shops sell basic necessities from Indonesia.

Domestically produced goods in very small volumes because they are produced only by small groups and cooperatives. It is therefore very difficult to reduce the presence of import needs, however, does not kill the commitment of young people to work hard, so as to promote domestic products. Currently, many young people are starting to establish groups such as raising local poultry, as a means to minimize the consumption of ayam potong. To achieve the objective, there is always a question, How can a group learn and succeed? To learn more about this, some young people learn from their own training or initiative, work in everyday life and take advantage of free space to do activities that are considered self-employment.

Concrete example we can know through Mrs. Ediziana Elisa Belo and her secretary named Ana Senorinha Joana Ximenes Vieira together with her other female colleagues took the initiative to establish a group called HAMALALE which is geographically located in Ostico, Vemasse Administrative Post, Baucau Municipality.

HAMALALE Group was created on 14-09-2021.The group has 11 members, 8 married and 3 single, some members are still in school. The reference that motivated the establishment of the group was based on the idea that two women group members learned in training from NGO World Vision and GFHD. The objective of the group is to initiate young people to create jobs for themselves through local poultry farming activities. On the other hand, raising local chickens with the motive of minimizing Ayam Potong and not wanting to destroy local chickens in Timor.

Because it is considered that local chickens provide good nutrition for human health for children and pregnant women. This group works in an inclusive nature and respects diversity, because they do not discriminate even though the group coordinator himself has a disability. The group's existence also aims to strengthen women's participation in creating jobs for themselves. The principle of the group is an effort to eliminate the idea that women can only sit and tell people's lives and can not do the work that men do.

But often there are challenges and obstacles that require all group members to work very hard. Reflecting on the past, the beginning of the group faced challenges and obstacles, because there were not enough funds to support the group. The way to solve these challenges is to start with the contribution of members. Each person contributed $.2.50 and each group member delivered two chickens. From the contribution of all members managed to revive this group until today. This local poultry farming activity can generate income and help with the needs of the household. Hard work to earn money and use it for daily living, from income can reduce economic violence, domestic violence, from these actions women involved in groups dream that they want to live independently and do not want to be dependent on male".

Hamelale Group's daily activity is raising local poultry, producing local products and transforming local food into innovative products. There is also land tativity and money lending.This activity, as a way to ensure the income that each member receives, the money earned is spent some and some must be saved to use for the household and saved to support the future of children. The group itself also has social support activities for members, if you have any difficulties inform the group to decide and help in difficult situations.

Unfortunately, the group's income is low, because there are few buyers and citizens prefer to buy chicken ayam potong at a cheap price. The group's income is often obtained only through a large event such as getting a space at the fair / exhibition is only $20, sometimes only $15. Some of the money earned, usually $5.00, is deposited into the group's reserve fund to prepare for lending activities. Through the group's activities done in these events, currently the group has a total of $ 200. 00. This money is kept in the group's coffers.

On the other hand, the group faces the most severe problems when the birds are sick. This problem sometimes makes the group lose hope, but the group always exists and still tries to stand up again because they do not want the group that started from scratch to lose.

To solve this challenge, the group also does other activities such as producing kripik, supermi production using local products. The group also has good cooperation with local leaders, so the group always cooks and offers food when holding meetings and seminars in the village.

Since the group was established for two years, it has received support from SEJD through the entrepreneurship fund support program, which helps the group to rehabilitate and improve the poultry farm. The plan for the future is to continue to grow and develop the group to compete better in the market. There is great hope that we can get support, training and material support from agencies and the state to increase production volume.

Message to young people that, we must work hard to use our own skills to create jobs for ourselves from the actions we do can support the development of our village and in the future can contribute to national development.