Maluk Timor is an NGO that aims to transform healthcare in Timor-Leste’s community health centres, so that people get great quality care, when and where they need it.
Check out our website and FaceBook page.
Also check out this article:
https://www.sma.org.sg/news/2024/January/The-Elephants-Armpit-Answers-for-Aspiring-Volunteers
'Maluk Timor' (MT) is made up of two independent NGOs. One is Associação Maluk Timor (AMT) and the other is Maluk Timor Australia (MTA). They work together through a relationship agreement.
We often use ‘Maluk Timor’ loosely, referring to both AMT and MTA or just to AMT.
Boring details:
AMT is a Timor-Leste registered NGO accredited by the Timor-Leste Ministry of Justice with its own board.
MTA is incorporated in Australia and has its own board.
MTA raises funds which enable AMT to do its work.
Yes.
Normally, no.
Maluk Timor has a an ongoing portfolio of multiple health system strengthening programmes. We do not normally seek partnerships for short-term or episodic projects, as the costs involved (planning, coordination, opportunity cost for our long-term programs) rarely justify the benefits.
Max 4.
8-16 weeks.
Depends on the elective plan. Maluk Timor's program teams work at different field sites. Most are primary healthcare facilities in Dili, sometimes in the national hospital, sometimes in the districts.
No.
Maluk Timor is focused on strengthening the primary healthcare system of Timor-Leste.
Student attachments would NOT be hospital-based clinical attachments.
Students would be involved with program teams that work in a variety of domains (check out our website and FaceBook page).
We are currently (Dec 2022) exploring options for clinical secondment to some of our partners' facilities, but that might not happen for at least a couple of months...
If you're looking for a clinical attachment, check out
Bairo Pite Clinic Lanud
Depends on how the attachment is planned, and our activities and availability at the time of the elective.
There are opportunities to be attached to one or more teams, observe and be involved in their routine work to strengthen Timor-Leste's primary healthcare system.
The major expenses you should budget for are:
Flights
Accommodation (~USD800 per person per month)
Visa fees (USD30 per person for 30 days upon arrival, extension USD40 for 30 days)
Food and drink (~USD5-15 per person per day)
Mobile and internet (~USD 30 per person per month)
Transport (~USD 2-5 per person per day)
Recreational activities.
Maluk Timor charges a flat administrative fee for students which goes towards covering the cost of programming.
We know, living costs in Timor are relatively expensive for South-East Asia!
We expect student attachments to mainly benefit you (learning and exposure), not Maluk Timor or Timor. And that is okay!
Sometimes, it may be possible to identify specific, well-defined projects that can be achieved within the period of your attachment (like developing or delivering a training packages to MT staff or national healthcare providers). But these projects are tricky to plan and not always available.
Students are responsible for arranging their own housing.
Some places to start looking:
If available, you may be offered a place in our shared Volunteer Houses for free. (You may be asked to contribute toward shared living costs such as gas, electricity, and minor household consumables...)
There are various public transport options available in Dili – taxis and mikrolets (mini-buses).
MT Office vehicles with drivers are available for work-related travel. They are shared by all staff and need to be booked in advance.
If available, you may have access to a shared Volunteer Vehicle.
Yes, at least a little.
Our working language within Maluk Timor is English. However, social conversation and most interactions with patients and partners is in the local language, Tetun.
We certainly don’t expect students to master the language in the brief time they have with us. But if you take the effort to learn a couple of core phrases and key vocabulary, that will open many doors and make your attachment much more fruitful!
Some resources to get you started:
Free: http://www.tetundit.tl/
Paid: https://learntetun.com/
Yes, but we expect visitors to take reasonable precautions.
See https://tl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/
Currently very limited options.
Check out:
https://tlsflights.glideapp.io/
Currently (Dec 2022), no restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers.
For updated information on Covid-19 situation and travel information in Timor-Leste, see:
US Embassy in Timor-Leste https://tl.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
National News Agency http://www.tatoli.tl/en/tag/covid-19/
Government of Timor-Leste media releases http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?cat=10&lang=en
Government of Timor-Leste List of legislation related to the state of emergency http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=27184&n=1&lang=en
Thank you for your interest in being attached to Maluk Timor!
Places are limited, and we receive a large number of applications.
Please complete this form, and we will get back to you within 2 weeks.
If you need to follow-up, you can contact us at volunteer@maluktimor.org