Audience with the First Lady

By Callan Date
THE close bond that exists between the City of Casey and East Timor was reinforced last Friday when a former First Lady of the South-East Asian country spoke at the Rotary Club of Berwick’s Annual Charity Business Dinner.
Kirsty Sword Gusmao had the crowd of more than 200 people at the Akoonah Park Centre fixated on every word of her touching 30 minute speech.
Detailing the ups and downs that come with being an independent country for just five years, Ms Sword Gusmao spoke passionately about the country, officially called Timor-Leste, and her journey in meeting and marrying current Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.
“I had never given a public address in my life and when we were married I was speaking with people like (former UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan and (former USA President) Bill Clinton,” she said.
“Five years on and we still have a long way to go. East Timor is still one of the poorest countries in Asia. Education is at the crux of every single challenge we face.
“Independence is about more than just getting a flag, constitution and national anthem.”
The mother-of-three’s words moved many generous Rotary Club members and their guests to help raise tens of thousands of dollars to help the Alola Foundation as well as the local Windermere Kids in Crisis Agency.
Ms Sword Gusmao set up the Alola Foundation in 2001 to raise awareness of and campaign against sexual and gender-based violence against women and young girls in East Timor.
The foundation’s programs have been expanded over recent years and cover education, health and domestic violence issues.
Several members of Casey’s Friends of Ermera organisation were also in attendance to hear the inspiring speech.
The Friends of Ermera has been working towards rebuilding and improving education and health facilities in the East Timorese district of Ermera. For more information about the foundation visit www.alolafoundation.org.