Success Stories



A Rattan Businessman Looks to Expand
02/2011

The wound in Mr. Marcelino Soares Pinto's leg is a stark reminder of how far Mr. Pinto's Rattan business has come since the militia violence that razed the town and destroyed all of his materials, buildings and equipment. But business is still not what it used to be in the early '90’s when Mr. Pinto was running a factory that employed over 20 people. Currently, he works with five employees, but he has plans for expansion. After all, Mr. Pinto can show you tangible signs of improvement, like his new house that was just finished being built, thanks to 30 matchmaking requests from the international presence in Suai, the local community in Covalima and buyers from other districts, worth $3,000.
Entrepreneurial Spirit and Success in Bobonaro District
04/2010

Josefina Vicente of Maliana, Bobonaro could be called the quintessential business woman. With an entrepreneurial spirit and $300 in capital, she opened up a small business in 2001, just two years after Timor-Leste voted out their Indonesian occupiers, selling gasoline, cigarettes and clothing racks to the local community. After re-investment of profits, the PDM-TL team now finds Ms. Vicente in Maliana running a construction company, JEDOVIONA, as well as more recently Tansos Hotel, a 12 room complex that she created with profits from her business successes, in particular a Government issued construction tender worth $2.66m in 2007. Ms. Vicente spoke very highly of the services offered to her two companies by Peace Dividend Trust and expressed her interest in collaborating with PDT in the future.
Hitting the Waves – “Buy Local. Build Timor-Leste” Takes a Nautical Turn
03/2010
Aside from finishing a total of 102 tiga roda, the painting crew at Creative Sablon interspersed their efforts on land with efforts at sea to deck out the boats moored in Dili Harbor. 10 boats are now finely displaying the “Buy Local. Build Timor-Leste” message on their hulls, cabins and sides. Among these boats is the fishing boat Manutasi that weekenders to Atauro will recognize as their return vessel to Dili that braves the short voyage Monday mornings. PDT’s Mrs Brigida Soares also had the opportunity to brief local media about the project, raising awareness of the impact purchasing local goods and services in Timor-Leste has on the local economy.
PDT Supports Development of a Timorese Venture into Wood/Stone Carving
12/2009
On 12-13 December 2009 PDT faciliated a visit by the owner of Dili based Baniuaga Furniture makers to master carvers in Mas and Singakerta in central Bali. Baniuaga has an interest in developing its employee skills in wood and stone carving. Baniuaga believes that quality wood and stone carvings with Timorese motifs will be a welcome, complimentary and profitable addition to its existing line of furniture products.
A $1,460 Deal for Manatuto Soybean Farmer
02/2010
With the aid of PDT’s district Matchmaking (MM) team, local Manatuto farmer Abilio Joao Martins was able to find a buyer for 2,921kg of soybeans worth $1,460.50. Gilberto Amaral, PDT’s Viqueque District Representative, was contacted by a previous client, Mr. Venancio Siqueira Ximenes, who had purchased a large sum of soybeans in Viqueque. Mr. Ximenes, satisfied with his first purchase, sought an additional quantity of soybeans to sell to wholesalers in Dili. Mr. Amaral in turn contacted Matchmaking staff in the district of Manatuto who were able to quickly link Mr. Ximenes with Mr. Martins, despite the fact they had never met face to face before.
Cattle Exportation: Linking East Timor to West
03/2010
Peace Dividend Trust Matchmaking (MM) assistants in the district of Bobonaro continue to link Timor-Leste’s cattle traders to buyers in West Timor. Recently, the team has connected Mr. Justino Luis, a local Maliana supplier of cattle meat to local restaurants and consumers, to Mr. Ali Fahmi in Atambua, Indonesia. Since the beginning of December, this relationship established by the MM team has already yielded the sale of 52 head of cattle, bringing home $22,115 for this Bobonaro based supplier.
Let the Painting Begin!
03/2010
This morning marked the first day of the painting of approximately 100 tiga roda, or pushcarts, around Dili. Today, stationed in front of UNTL (Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa’e), across from the country’s Parliament, PDT’s Verification Assistant Baptista da Silva was busy at work overseeing the collaboration between the painters and tiga roda vendors. As the project continues, the painting team from Creative Sablon will be visiting clusters of tiga roda across the city to paint PDT’s logo and slogan on the cart’s sides, in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of “Buying Local – Build Timor-Leste.”!
Featured Business – Sao Jose Carpintaria
Located in Hatolia in the District of Ermera, Mr. Julito Gagu’s company Sao Jose Carpintaria supplies the community with carpentry products made from teak wood. The normal range of carpentry wares is not what Mr. Gagu is specialized in, he is assembling; individually constructed models of traditional Timorese houses are what makes Gagu’s carpentry outfit memorable. Even though Sao Jose Carpintaria encounters problems faced by many rural business operating in Timor-Leste, such as lack of transport and electricity, the company has already attracted the attention of local buyers. He has been commissioned several times by Hatolia’s junior high school to construct model houses to be used as gifts for international donors. An added benefit is the assistance in tuition payment that he now receives for his five children.
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Timor-Leste First

Timor-Leste First

Buy Local. Build Timor-Leste.

Peace Dividend Trust encourages international and national buyers operating in Timor-Leste to buy TIMOR-LESTE FIRST. This simple approach helps create jobs, generates tax revenue and builds the local marketplace - all of which contribute to peace and stability in Timor-Leste.


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Suppliers - check out our tender directory! Here you will find invitations to tender and other documents that can help your company access new business opportunities in the Timor-Leste marketplace. If you would like to receive tender alerts by SMS or email, please contact us at: timor-leste@pdtglobal.org.


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Job seekers - check out our jobs directory! Here you will find positions that are available in Timor-Leste and all the information you need to apply. If you would like to post a job, please contact us at: timor-leste@pdtglobal.org.


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PDT is eager to help exchange best practices, raise awareness about the importance of buying local and to help facilitate the procurement of goods and services in Timor-Leste. If you are interested in partnering with PDT, please contact us at: timor-leste@pdtglobal.org.


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